June/July 1999 Connolly Association: campaigning for a united and independent Ireland ISSN 0021-1125 60p From Cable St Light shed on off the to the i'JV United stent' Garvaghy Rd Englishmen Celts Page 3 Page 7 Page 12 LOYALIST VIOLENCE THREATENS

PEACE PROCESS including arson and bomb attacks, have become daily occurrences for Catholic Democrat reporter families and businesses in the area, the full THE DRAMATIC increase in loyalist details of which are comprehensively attacks over the last year, the unresolved recorded by the Garvaghy Road situation at Drumcree and the impasse Resident's Coalition on their website. over implementing key elements of the (http://members.aol.com/garvaghy/) Good Friday agreement are proving to be Speaking at the launch of a new painful reminders of the many obstacles support group for the Garvaghy Road that remain on the road to a peaceful and Resident's Coalition in London recently, lasting settlement in Ireland. residents' spokesperson Brendan Mac Questions about RUC collusion with Cionnaith stressed that all the nationalist loyalist paramilitaries have also come to community in Portadown wanted was "the the fore again recently, linked to growing right to be treated equally in their own pressure for independent inquiries into the tow n and their own country". deaths of six-county solicitors Rosemary Portadown was like a microsm of the Nelson and Pat Finucane. and the mx counties three decades ago. he said: "It Portadown nationalist Robert Hamill. is a unionist-controlled area which has a Concerns intensified after it became substantial nationalist minority, which is clear in mid-May that the RUC had discriminated against; which is not treated withheld information for around three equally under the law; which is months from 150 nationalists and continually harassed, and which is republicans, whose names appeared on a constantly surpressed by the supremacism loyalist death list. The list, which of the Orange Order." originally came into the police's While some of the most serious possession in late February, also contained incidents of loyalist violence in the North details of addresses, dates of birth and car have been claimed so-called 'splinter registration numbers. groups', such as the Orange Volunteers Longstanding, and well-founded, fears and the Red Hand Defenders, there is of RUC and security-force collusion with evidence to suggest that these shadowy loyalist paramilitaries ensured that police organisations are little more a cover for As Liz Curtis's photograph of this Belfast mural demonstrates, there Is growing recognition among Irish nationalists of the explanations for the delay were met by elements from within mainstream loyalist similarities between the twin curses of sectarianism and racism. Yet, while the outcome of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry nationalists and republicans with a groups, particularly the UDA and the LVF, looks set to bring about major changes, the refusal to hold an independent inquiry into the death of Robert Hamill shows mixture of deep scepticism and outright both of which claim to be observing a that the British authorities are not yet prepared to give the same priority to the problem of institutional sectarianism disbelief. ceasefire. Recently released figures have shown As the Irish Democrat went to press, that loyalists have been responsible for ten British security sources claimed to have murders; 30 grenade and blast-bomb uncovered evidence linking the LVF to the Hamill campaign boost attacks, 19 shooting incidents; II death killing of Rosemary Nelson. threats, five attempted abductions, 48 The LVF is also believed to be FRIENDS AND relatives of the murdered price £15. physical assaults, 276 families intimidated responsible for a wave of pipe-bomb Portadown man Robert Hamill have been • "I AM not black, I do not live in Alabama ROBERT and 231 attacks on churches, schools and attacks in early June, one of which stepping up their campaign for an and the year is not 1962, but you tell the homes between April 1998' and April resulted in the death of Elizabeth O'Neill independent inquiry. difference," said Diane Hamill, giving HAMILL 1999. in Portadown. The London branch of the Robert Hamill testimony to the US Congress' House The figures do not include the majority So long as this state ot affairs is Campaign has published a new leaflet on International Relations Committee on 22 of incidents from in and around allowed to continue unchecked jr, worse Roberts's case and is asking people to write April. 1999. Portadown where the local nationalist still, to deteriorate, the promise of the to Prime Minister Tony Blair, urging him to Alluding to the systematic harassment community is under siege. Good Friday agreement, of "the right to establish an independent inquiry. The that nationalist have had to endure in the Since last July over 170 Orange freedom from sectarian harassment", will campaign is also calling for people to write Portadown area, Diane Hamill, drew demonstrations have taken place in remain little more than warm words. to their MPs asking them to support the parrallels between the US Deep South in the Portadown - the overwhelming majority The British government must act demand. A major fundraiser is also planned 1960s, and between the Orange Order and of them illegal - and around another 50 decisively and face down those elements for 19 July at the Jazz Cafc in Camden, the Ku Klux Klan. are planned before the end of the first ranged against the agreement who are London. Acts supporting the benefit includc Campaign leaflet* (right) are available week of July. intent on spreading their creed of bigotry Billy Bragg, Jo Brand, Mark Thomas, from BM Hamill Campaign, London WCIN Intimidation, abuse, violent attacks. and hatred throiughout the North. Robert Newman, Kevin McAleer. Ticket 3XX; email: hamillcaniixiign@hotmail com WHY DID HE DIE? Page IIIIris h Democrat June/July 1999 Irish Democrat June/July 1999 Page 3 I

News News iBish Oemoctuc Diary of violence Founded 1939 Volume 54, Number 3 From Cable Street A sample of the attacks attributed to loyalists in recent months, mostly from Devolution agenda to Garvaghy Road outside the Portadown area The list is not THERE WE have it. Labour has successfully launched phases one intended to be comprehensive: and two of its devolution flagship in Scotland and Wales, though not GOOD FRIDAY EVENT McDonnell. without scraping its New Labour paintwork on the barnacles of Speaking in front of a huge banner March public opinion. Democrat reporters commemorating the Battle of Cable I 'Chocolate bo\' bomb left on The unexpected inroads made by Plaid Cymru into Labour's LAST LONDON'S 1930s struggles Street, Garvaghy Road Residents windowsill of Catholic home in against fascism bore a remarkable Coalition spokesperson Brendan Mac Coalisland: pipe bomb found in former south Wales heartlands, the emphatic vote for deselected similarity to today's siege of the Cionnaith right, gave a graphic account of Dernaghy. south of Belfast. former Labour Party stalwart Denis Canavan and the election of the nationalist community in Portadown by the high-levels of intimidation suffered by 4 home of Catholic woman attacked by Scottish Socialist Alliance's Tommy Sheridan shold have sent alarm Orange and loyalist mobs, a packed east- the nationalist minority in Portadown. pipe bomb, north Belfast (several other attacks in north Belfast, including two of hells ringing all the way down to Millbank Tower. end meeting heard in May. The Orange Order was attempting to z More than 130 people attended the destroy the Good Friday agreement, by | arson, reported in the same week); While greater autonomy for Wales and Scotland is long overdue, event, hosted by the Connolly Association exacerbating sectarian tensions in an „ 9 pipe-bomb attack, Portadown; and there are those who want to go further, the long-term implications and Tower Hamlets Trades Union Council effort to cause mass disturbances in 3j 15 Rosemary Nelson killed in bomb for the future of the British state are, as yet, unclear. In the Prime and opened by London Labour MP John Northern Ireland, he said. attack; firebomb attack on family. Lame: The London labour movement had Callaghan of Belfast Trades Council, called for labour-movement solidarity 23 Catholic businessman injured by a Minister's script, it all leads to a refashioning and 'strengthening' of stopped the British fascists in their tracks pictured left, Angie Birtill of London Irish with the minority community in booby-trap, Castlewellan; the union. But, then, as Mr Blair knows, things don't always go when they had attempted to stage a Women's' Centre, Kate Foley of Labour Portadown. 24 pipe-bomb attack on pub near Lurgan: according to plan. provocative and triumphalist march into Committee on Ireland and Pat Reynolds of 6 A 14-page report of the meeting is 26 bomb left on windowsill of Catholic- A key issue now is whether the Scottish parliament and Welsh the East End, home to large numbers of the Irish in Britain Representation Group. available from Tower Hamlets TUC, 179- family's home, Randalstown, south Jews, in 1936. A paper on the history of the quasi- 181 Whitechapel Road, London El 1DW Antrim; assembly will be able to use their limited powers in a progressive Chairperson Phil Edwards, of Tower fascist Orange Order by the historian and and from the Four Provinces Bookshop, 30 Bomb thrown into the family home of direction to secure both material and cultural benefits for the majority Ahern praises English radicals Hamlets TUC, reminded the audience of writer Peter Berresford Ellis was read out 244 Grays Inn Road, London, Tel. 0171 Moyle Sinn Fein councillor, James of working people. the important role played by Irish dock at the meeting, 833 3022, price 40p (solidarity price £ I). McCarry - his family narrowly escape AN INITIATIVE by the Connolly Campbell, and Wexford CTU. workers in defence of Cable Street. injury; Symbolism has its place, but more will be needed to tackle the refusing to join Oliver Cromwell's brutal The gathering condemned the threat to • Copies of the Garvaghy Road Association brought messages of support The event, which has become an campaign against the Irish. Other platform contributors included the peace process posed by the Orange resolution are available from THTUC and 31 pipe-bomb attack on Catholic problems of poverty, high unemployment, poor housing, declining for the annual Leveller's Day important date in the labour movement In his message of support, Mr Ahem Billy Robinson of Counteract, the ICTU- Order's attempts to march down the from the Connolly Association Tel. 0171 businessman in Dungannon; pipe bomb public services and the decimation of Scotland's and Wales' commemoration in Burford, Oxfordshire, calendar, marks the execution in Burford praised the Levellers for their support of sponsored anti-intimidation unit, Brenda mainly Catholic Garvaghy Road, and 916 6172. found in the garden of north Belfast traditional industries. For those assembly members and MSPs from Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, the Mayor on 17 May 1649 of three members of the civil and democratic rights and for being family. of Drogheda, Cllr Maria O'Brien radical English Leveller movement for committed to bringing about real change, one suspects that it will "friends of Ireland" when there were few. Pressure grows for Independent investigation April only be a matter of time before they run up uncomfortably against the 4 Arson attack on Kilrea home of Colette limitations of devolved 'power'. Committee on the Administration of campaign petitions, writing letters of Copies are also available from the Four Quinn, aunt of the three Catholic boys British spy targets MacBrlde Principles INQUIRY CALL Notwithstanding the change in emphasis that devolution will Justice, British/Irish Rights Watch, Irish concern to the local media, remembrance Provinces Bookshop Tel 0171 833 3022. killed last year by loyalists, ALLEGATIONS THAT a MI6 agent followed the recent appearance of the MacBride Principles, lobbied public Democrat reporter Council for Civil Liberties and Inquest. events, and the launching of campaign 7 bomb attack on pub in Dundrod, north undoubtedly bring, the Westminster parliament still holds the key posing as an employee of the British names of around 150 British spies on officials and accompanied anti-MacBride Campaigners have expressed billboard in Dublin, London and Belfast. Antrim; petrol-bomb attack on family, purse strings and remains, along with the City of London, the real embassy in Washington used his position various internet sites. witnesses flown in by the British from THE ROSEMARY Nelson Campaign has disappointment over the British For further details contact: The Ballymoney; locus of political and financial power in Britain. How far the new and high-level contacts to lobby for Fr McManus claims that the embassy Northern Ireland. designated 15 June as an international day government's iailure to respond to the Rosemary Nelson Campaign. PO Box II man injured in bomb attack on parliament and assembly will be able, or allowed, to respond to opposition to the MacBride Principles on official, who cannot be named for legal Angered by the revelations, MacBride of action as part of its efforts to increase family's demands. Campaigners are also 1251, Belfast BT1 6DN, Tel. 01232 bar/restaurant, Co. Antrim; fair employment surfaced recently in the reasons, played a key role in the campaign Principles campaigners are now asking pressure on the British government to incensed that the murder investigation is, 220100 or via their website: 14 two separate pipe-bomb attacks on growing demands for redistributive policies and a fairer society could United States. against the MacBride Principles in the US embarrassing questions about foreign announce an independent investigation for the most part, being conducted by the http://www.rosemarynelsoncampaign.com families in Randalstown, Co. Antrim; well prove be the litmus test by which their democratic credibility is The allegations, which have been between 1987 and 1992. security services' involvement in and inquiry into the murder of the human- same RUC officers responsible for 25 two men from Ballymurphy, Belfast, ultimately measured by the people of Scotland and Wales. made by leading Irish-American human- According to Fr McManus, the official interference with the legislative process of rights solicitor. harassing and intimidating the solicitor # A new report published by the Derry- abducted and badly beaten; rights activist Father Sean McManus, spoke publicly, attended hearings on the a supposedly 'friendly' government. The United Nations, the European when she was alive. based Pat Finucane Centre (PFC) covers 26 Bricks and petrol bombs thrown at Agreement impasse parliament, the US Congress and the law The investigation, headed by Colin the full range of issues relating to the Catholic residents in north Belfast during murder of Rosemary Nelson and the attacks by loyalist gang; IN NORTHERN Ireland, 'phase three' of Labour's devolution societies of England and Wales, Scotland, Port, has failed to convince the Nelson Assembly's high cost the Republic of Ireland and Northern family of its ability to unearth the truth campaign^ for an independent inquiry into 28 bomb attack on pub near Antrim. project, tied as it is to the Good Friday Agreement, is proving Bronterre O'Brien commemorated Ireland are among national and and provide justice tor Rosemary Nelson, the events surrounding her murder by considerably more problematic, and faces an uncertain future. The 15th annual commemoration of the (Leitrim/Longford diaspora), Martin RUNNING COSTS of the Northern international bodies to have backed the say campaigners. loyalists. May Unless progress is made over the forming of the Assembly's Irish Chartist and radical journalist O'Regan (East London Cairde Na nGael) Ireland Assembly reached £10.7 million campaign's demands. World-wide activities planned for 15 The report, Rosemary Nelson: the life 6 Twelve-year-old boy shot at by gunman, Bronterre O'Brien took place on Sunday 6 June include: faxing and emailing British and death of a human-rights defender, is north Belfast; Catholic man injured in executive by the time of Tony Blair's 30 June 'absolute' deadline we and David Soloman (Abney Park since it was established in June 1998, Support has also come from human- June at Abney Park Cemetery in London's Cemetary Trust). This year's event was despite the fact that Assembly members rights organisations such as Amnesty embassies to demand an independent available directly from PFC, 1 West End pipe-bomb attack; may never get an opportunity to test the performance of the assembly Stoke Newington. sponsored by the Hackney Irish met on only 16 days, according to figures International, Human Rights Watch, the investigation and inquiry, handing-in Park, Derry BT38 9J, Tel. 01504 268846. 10 arson attack on Catholic family, as a key element of the Good Friday agreement. As usual, the event was organised by Association. released by the Northern Ireland Office. Antrim; Trimble's last minute rejection of the formula hammered out at the Bronterre O'Brien Committee. The The costs, which exclude the extensive Sunday argue that allowing the soldiers to killings, Liutenant-Colonel Derek 12 construction worker shot and injured historian and university lecturer Robert remain anonymous would amount to Wilford, and the Daily Mail are among by loyalist gunman, Carrickfergus; Downing Street in mid-May could yet mark the end of the road for refurbishment prior to the establishment Anonymity setback for Fyson delivered the oration with laments of the Assembly, includes £5.4 million for improper interference and call into those spearheading an intensive campaign 14 Catholic proprietors of Belfast bar the Good Friday deal. Indeed, it's difficult to see how Trimble can played by musician and Irish Post members' salaries and £4.9 million for Bloody Sunday families question the legitimacy of the inquiry. on behalf of the paratroopers. Wilford has forced to flee following attack by loyalist back out of the 'no guns, no government' hole that he has dug for journalist Malcom Rogers. administration. They also claim that the 'anonymity' threatened to refuse to give evidence ifthe gang; Historian Julian Putkowski, an expert The Secretary of State's intervention argument is bogus as the names of many soldiers are named. 17 petrol-bomb attack on Catholic home, himself and his party. According to a report compiled by the BLOODY SUNDAY on the Connacht Rangers mutiny, acted as has caused considerable concern and of those involved have already been made • BLOODY SUNDAY FUND - a Dunmurray, Belfast; Then again, there's nothing like the threat of the loss of kudos, Shadow Assembly Commission, master of ceremonies. published in February, at least £36.8 Democrat reporters anger among relatives of the victims, who public. special fund has been set up to meet the 21 two separate bomb attacks on salary and expenses, to say nothing of the public platform afforded by Among those who were set to lay million will be needed to ensure that the only weeks earlier believed that they had The intervention of the Secretary of cost incurred by the Bloody Sunday Trust nationalist pubs in west Belfast; Catholic the assembly stage, to concentrate the minds of even the most wreaths in honour of the great Irish radical Assembly is able to carry out its task UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDED a key secured a major victory on the issue. State is particularly worrying as Lord in aiding relatives of those killed to man shot at after giving a lift to a 14 year- old Protestant girl. implacable opponent of republicanism and nationalism within the were Chris Maguire (BronterTe O'Brien effectively. It is estimated that a further ruling by Bloody Sunday inquiry chair In mid-May Saville ruled that there Saville's ruling is currently being prepare for the Saville Inquiry. It is Committee), Jim Redmond (Connolly Lord Saville after it was confirmed, at the would be no blanket anonymity for British challenged by the soldiers and is subject to estimated that £250,000 will be required. 28 pipe-bomb attack on Catholic home, unionist camp. As they say, 'watch this space'. £90 million will be needed to run the ten Association), Doris Daly projected government departments. end of May, that British Defence soldiers and RUC officers on duty on 30 judicial review, the outcome of which will Donations can be made to the Bloody Armagh Friends of Ireland Secretary George Robertson was January 1972, although it has since be known in mid-June. Sunday Inquiry Family Fund, Bank of Donations to the Connolly Association "sympathetic" to an appeal by 17 become clear that the inquiry team is Former Tory Northern Ireland Ireland, Strand Road, Derry City. Sort O sources include newspaper reports and GIVEN THE current impasse and the threat to peace process posed and the Irish Democrat paratroopers to retain anonymity on prepared to look at each case on its merit. secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, the code: 90-49-74, account number material compiled by the Pat Finucane by the murderous efforts of loyalist extremists, the formation of a (including 60th anniversary appeal) personal security grounds. Relatives of those killed on Bloody commander of the unit responsible for the 47644065. Centre. broad-based campaign aimed at winning support for the Good Friday Imsh Oemoctuc 12 March to 18 May 1999 Agreement in Britain is extremely welcome. For a united and independent Ireland L.Wilde £10; Y. Boydell £5; P.Williams £20; M. & M. Clinton £8; C. "tyree £5; C. Former CA general secretary Eamonn McLaughlin dies Organisations such as the Connolly Association have supported Published continuously since 1939, the Irish Democrat is the bi-monthly journal of Eliassen £10; M. Sables £5; G. Day £10; the idea of such an initiative for some time and it is to be hoped that the Connolly Association, which campaigns for a united and independent Ireland M. Crofton £1; K. Galley £5; D. Staff at the Irish Democrat were Coleraine. An avid reader and a good storesman. He worked with the London her freedom, you'll still be breaking One of several plays written while in London was a musical documentary, the new campaign will be able to engage constructively with all those and the rights ifthe Irish in Britain Goodman £5; P. Latham £10; M. Williams saddened to learn of the death of student, he was interested in and had a Irish mainly through the Connolly stones". Not, however, if Eamonn had £2; K. Mathews £6.50; M. Cleere £10; former Connolly Association general profound knowledge of literature in the Association and the Irish Self- anything to do with it, since he was also a Easter '16, which was put on in Kilbum in Britain who support the immediate and full implementation of the Annual subscription rates (six issues) P.W. White £10; J. Fleming £5; E. Finlay secretary Eamonn McLaughlin who English language, poetry and history, Determination League. Along with fellow good 'British' trade unionist. by the Dolphin theatre company. Good Friday deal. £5.50 Britain I enclose a cheque £14.44; C.P. Farrington £10; J. Mulrennan died in Portsmouth on 13 April. We are (especially Irish history). trade unionist and CA activist Tom In recent years, mainly because of his At the age of 62 he took early £10.00 Solidarity subscription (payable to Connolly £4; D. Wiliams £20; A. Esterson £100; R. grateful to his widow, Barbara, for During WWII, he became active in the Leonard, he took part in struggles to heart condition, his political activities retirement, but he did not sit back with £8.00 Europe (airmail) Publications Ltd)/postal Doyle £10; M. Finnegan £3.50; S. Hone supplying the following details and pass Coleraine Labour Party becoming the first improve the lot of London Transport declined, but not his interests. In his slippers and decline into old age. He iRish Oemocmc £11.00 USA/Canada (airmail) order for £ £5; F. Rushe £10; C. O'S £350; M. on to her our deepest condolences: Labour, and youngest-ever candidate, to workers. retirement, his interest and activity in the enrolled for a full-time degree course in £12.00 social science at Central London Bi-monthly newspaper of the Connolly Association Australia (airmail) Murphy £4.50; R. de Swardt £6.50; B. win a seat in the local election. As a non- Although proud of being Irish he was field of poetry and literature revived. He Polytechnic, having completed two years Farrington £10; J. Gordon £8; J. Hellemd EAMONN MCLAUGHLIN was bom in householder he was not able to vote. This never a narrow kind of nationalist, but won second prize in the Gosport Solent Name part-time while working for London Editorial Board £12; H.S. Smith £20; S.O. Cearnaigh £5; Limavady, Co. Derry over 77 years ago on was in 1945. Another anomaly, while in always equally internationalist in outlook. Writers' Group short story competition Helen Bennett; Gerard Cunan; David Granville (editor); Jonathan Hardy, Transport. He gained an upper second Address P. Gree £5; A. Dickinson £18; F. Jennings the 23 August 1921. His early childhood Northern Ireland Labour Party he became He was also very conscious of the just two months before his death. Peter Mulligan; Alex Reid; Production: Derek Kotz £10; J. Bird £10; E. Shellanl £10; Anon a member of Northern Ireland Communist needs of the ordinary working person: in a He was no mean lyricist and wrote In short, he led a fruitful life. He had Published by Connolly Publications Ltd, 244 Gray's Inn Road. London WCIX 8JR, tel 0171 833 was spent near the sea in the resort of donations £120.10. the stuff of greatness in him and as an Irish 3022 i Portrush where his mother ran a boarding Party nutshell, he was a socialist of the old quite a few songs for which others composed the music. He was very fond of expression has it, he was a lovely man' Email] [email protected] uk Send to: Connolly Publications Ltd, 244 Gray's Inn Road, London WCIX 8JR Bankers orders £294.10 house. He left Ireland for England in 1952 fashioned sort. Like Parnell, he realised in Printed by KipleyPrintcrs (TU) Ltd, Nottingham Road, Ripley, Derbysh ire, tel 01773 743 621 music, classical, jazz, and Irish traditional. and one with a great sense of fun. Total £1,187.64 At ten years of age they moved to and worked for Ixindon Transport as a the words of Yeats: "When Ireland gets Irish Democrat June/July 1999 Page 4 I Page 4 Page III Irish Democrat June/July 1999 News/analysis News/analysis

World comment by POLITICUS After the Progress thwarted as Campaign mobilises support euro-currency... I Hi; HU's Treaty of Amsterdam came for Good Friday agreement into force on I May. Most people have not new deadline looms a clue what is in it, for Britain, unlike John McDonnell MP The Friends of Ireland public meeting the Irish community feels more confident Ireland and Denmark, had no referendum The Irish Democrat's 'letter of comfort' to the UUP assuring at the House of Commons on 22 May was in expressing its political views on to give the public a chance to find out them that the Downing Street outcome explains the reasoning packed to capacity, including 25 MPs w ith Ireland. An alliance of that community Amsterdam is a kind of constitution northern correspondent, had not required any party to 'yield up a close interest in Ireland. All the pro- with trade unionists. MPs, and all others tor the centralised EU superstate now in their negotiating position'. Although the behind the launch of a new Bobbie Heatley, assesses agreement Northern Ireland Assembly w ho want to see the agreement work can the making, in which Britain and Ireland agreement was 'more modest than campaign to win British parties agreed to provide speakers, become an influential lobby in this become like Roman provinces. the impact of recent Hillsborough', Powell cajoled, if d'Hondt although a meeting of Ulster Unionist country. It is already the broadest alliance Amsterdam makes the EU into a was to be triggered prior to 30 June, those support for peace and developments and MPs, called at short notice, prevented their 1 have seen come together in Britain to corporate legal entity, distinct and separate nominated for the executive would not reconciliation in Ireland deputy leader, John Taylor, from attending support peace and justice in Ireland. The from the states that make it up. It commits even be shadow ministers, but ministers in considers whether the The Secretary of State Mo Mowlam also pro-agreement parties particularly it to creeping uniformity in civil and name only - with Assembly standing sent a message of support to what she stressed how welcome they found it to be criminal law, including the probable end parties are any nearer to a orders changed to accommodate this IT IS now commonplace to state that the described as a 'timely meeting'. offered a platform to explain their view s in to trial by jury and habeas corpus and the development. There could be no executive breakthrough over Good Friday agreement represents the All of the party representatives Britain. adoption of the continental system of without the unionists agreement, he best opportunity for peace and stressed that, whatever their different We need to get across- to all those in inquisitorial judges. decommissioning or the insisted. reconciliation in Ireland in the last 30 views about the desirability of early Britain who support the agreement that It gives the EU a common border, with However, while the implication is that years. It has also always been clear that decommissioning of paramilitary progress will not be automatic, and that common immigration, visa and asylum establishment of the if General de Chastelain's report back on the implementation of the agreement weapons, the agreement specified no they all have a vital role to play in helping provisions. It creates Europol, the the progress of decommissioning proves Assembly executive would pose as many challenges as the linkage between this and the appointment to make the agreement work. That is why beginnings of an EU police force. And to be unsatisfactory (to the UUP), the 30 negotiations which produced the final of ministers to the executive and that an independent lobby or movement in much more. June 'absolute' deadline will go the way document. progress on the latter could only help to support of the agreement can be so I or the 30 years following the EEC's ON FRIDAY 14 May it seemed that the of all previous deadlines, there is as yet no So nobody should be surprised by the achieve the trust necessary to resolve the important. foundation in 1957 the Treaty of Rome latest deadlock in the peace process had indication as to what this implies for the current difficulties. What was always decommissioning issue. We believe that this initiative offers a was its legal basis. The original EEC was finally been broken. Ten hours of haggling future of the Assembly, or the peace equally clear, however, was that the Although the meeting took place at a broad basis on which to stimulate debate little more than a free trade area with a at Downing Street appeared to have done process in general - although Blair has agreement having been agreed, and | moment of crisis in the peace process, the and involvement with the Irish peace protected agriculture attached. Three the job at least that was the impression indicated that the salaries of assembly endorsed by the great majority of Irish g speakers also pointed out that there is no process in the trade unions and in every further Treaties inside a decade, given by both governments, the SDLP and members could be stopped if" progress is transferred huge new chunks of national voters, north and south of the border, 8 'plan B' and that, whatever the current other sphere of society. Sinn Fein as they left the talks. It even thwarted again. < difficulties, they were convinced that the After a period of widening the power to Brussels: the Single European appeared that Tony Blair had brought However, according to at least one could not then be renegotiated without " through a peaceful political process. implement the agreement and, in agreement could and would be discussion in this way, we are planning a Act 19X7: the Maastricht Treaty 1992, Trimble oil board. authoritative newspaper, the terms of the risking the unravelling of the whole inter- which gave the EU its own currency and It is this prize which is still challenged particular, to set up the Northern Ireland implemented. The extent of the common national conference of Friends of Ireland Under the terms of a new agreement, Downing Street agreement proposals locking set of compromises to which all abolished the national currencies, by those like the Orange Order and Ian executive, is creating a political vacuum ground between the parties surprised towards the end of the year. the IRA would not be required to give up contradicted what Powell was saying to parties subscribed in April last year. independent interest rate and exchange Paisley who are terrified of any which rejectionists are trying to fill. many of those present. The assistance of your readers in this weapons prior to Sinn Fein being able to Trimble's party. According to an article in That is why, whatever the different rate policies of the participating states; progressive change in the status quo, as In this situation, the rationale behind The campaign now intends to build work, particularly widening support for exercise its electoral entitlement to two the Irish Times, the agreement was 'not as interpretations which undoubtedly exist as and Amsterdam last year. well as the violent rejectionists who are the Friends of Ireland-Friends of the Good upon this initial success and consolidate the founding statement of the campaign seats in the putative Stormont executive. comprehensive or ambitious' as the to where the agreement will take the continuing sectarian attacks on the Friday Agreement in Britain, is that the support which Friends of Ireland has (see box below), would he greatly Another treaty. christened After a year's stalling, during which Hillsborough Declaration, which stated people of Northern Ireland, it is the letter nationalist community. supporters of the agreement in this received in the Irish community, the appreciated. provisionally by the Eurocrats the Treaty the two governments had used Trimble as that amis should be put 'beyond use' of the agreement which must be As speakers from live of the six country cannot simply act as bystanders to labour movement and elsewhere, to Further information: from John of Paris, was being talked about even their proxy, it appeared that the before the formation of an executive. implemented. Northern Ireland Assembly parties which the peace process. It faces serious crisis strengthen our links with the Irish- McDonnell MP, House of Commons, before Amsterdam came into force! This governments had finally recognised that Given the apparent lack of clarity and Above all, this is because the signed the agreement said at the public today and will face others in the future. American lobby and develop our dialogue SW1A OA A. Copies of the Friends of is envisaged as giving the EU its own the strategy they had adopted was counter- obvious confusion, it is perhaps not agreement provides for one prize which launch meeting of Friends of Ireland- That is why supporters of the agreement in with pro-agreement parties in Ireland. Ireland statement and a list of signatories army and military wing - to complete the productive and was jeopardising According to the Good Friday deal, the Scotland and Wales. surprising that some of the negotiators at must rate higher than all the other issues Friends of the Good Friday Agreement at Britain also have to make their voices The Good Friday agreement has is published on the internet at: process of EU superstate building. everything that had been achieved. espousal of such views is entirely It was all too good to be true - and it the Downing Street confab got the wrong on which differences continue to exist - Westminster on 22 May, the failure to heard. already started to create a climate in which www.friendsofireland.freeserve.co.uk An army and a currency are the two Prior IRA decommissioning was not, legitimate, and a person should have the was. When Trimble reported back to his end of the stick. The question is, which that is the resolution of those differences classical features of statehood - the after all, as everyone else had been saying, right to express themselves in this way assembly party at Stormont, whatever he ones. monopoly of legal force over a territory in a stipulation of the Good Friday deal - a without fear of intimidation. Threats are had to say went down like a lead balloon The decommissioning issue has not an army and the monopoly of legal tender Friends of Ireland wins fact that could not be swept aside by regularly conveyed via the RUC or arrive and he decided not to defend it. Instead he been resolved and the UUP is sticking to Founding statement in a currency. Maastricht gave the EU its playing with words, by substituting as missives dropped through letter-boxes. claimed not to have assented to the new its much-trumpeted 'negotiating position' own currency. 'obligation' for 'pre-condition'. The On top of all this there is the renewed Downing Street document but had left the friends In Britain of 'no guns, no government'. CfThe launch of the Good Friday agreement in April 1998 opened a Next comes the EU Army, with governments had tried that a few weeks prospect of mayhem at the beginning of meeting believing that it was 'incomplete' Once again, a British government has A NEW initiative spearheaded by three host of local politicians. new period of hope for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland, in Germany as its ardent champion. "A earlier at Hillsborough, and the ploy had July in Drumcree when, after they have and in need of 'clarification'. either yielded to the inflexibility of Labour MPs aims to win broad-based Connolly Association general Ireland as a whole and between Britain and Ireland. The new mood was European army and European police- failed. held the Garvaghy Road residents under Blair was reported to have been unionism or decided to sustain it in a support in Britain for the implementation secretary Enda Finlay, and Irish Democrat clearly expressed in the endorsement of the Agreement by large force lie at the end of the road to European Aside from legalities arising from the siege for a year, the Orangemen will again spitting blood at this insubordination. But position with which the government itself Union", said Germany's Chancellor Kohl of the Good Friday deal. editor David Granville are among those majorities of the electorates in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, wording of the Good Friday document, attempt to swagger through their if he was, it might not have been for the fundamentally agrees. in 1992. The Friends of Ireland-Friends of the who have endorsed the statement. as well as by the goodwill of the great majority of people in England, the governments' position had become neighbourhood. reason that most people thought i.e. that The few people who still retain a Good Friday Agreement was officially Further afield, the initiative has also Scotland and Wales. All parties to the Agreement were aware from the In mid-March the Germans produced a untenable because of the on-going spate Unfortunately, for those who believed Trimble was obstructing his efforts to gain smidgen of optimism about the future of launched in the run-up to the 1st won backing from 63 members of the outset that its implementation would pose challenges as great as those plan to turn the EU into a straight military of loyalist paramilitary attacks on the that the British government had finally acceptance for a dispensation that had the peace process seek comfort in anniversary of the signing of the deal. The United States Congress. involved in achieving the original breakthrough. The first year of the alliance, without any mediation by the Catholic community in the North, (see seen the inappropriateness of adhering to a become much too favourable towards believing that the UUP may summon up NATO-linked West European Union group's initial statement attracted the A letter from the three MPs behind the Agreement has confirmed just how significant those challenges are and, pages 1 and 3). tunnel vision approach to IRA republicanism. the courage to soften its stance once the THE (WEU). support of over 140 British MPs, MEPs, initiative, John McDonnell, Kevin we believe, the necessity for all of s in Britain who support the Loyalist violence in recent months has disarmament there are worrying signs that Judging from subsequent events, elections for the EU parliament' are out of and members of the House of Lords. McNamara and Maria Fyfe outlined the implementation of the Agreement, to c< ne together to make our voices DMU, Defence and Military Union, involved murder and attempted murder, they may yet be proved wrong. Blair's anger might have arisen from the way on 10 June, allowing devolution The statement has also won the need for a new broad-based initiative: "We heard, to assist in maintaining the momentum for peace and would in future complement EMU, the pipe-bombings of public premises, Whatever was actually decided at the Trimble's stupidity in not being able to see to go ahead on 1 July. believe the difficulties experiences over reconciliation and to help overcome the inevitable difficulties in making AGREEMENT support of an impressive range of Economic and Monetary Union. The arson attacks on businesses and family Downing Street, Blair appeared to set an just what it was the British government But, given all the ambiguity the last year, and in particular most the Agreement work. J J DMU would be run by a committee of EU prominent individuals in the professional, THIS AGREEMENT IS ABOUT YOUR FUTURE homes and the issuing of threats to large absolute deadline of 30 June for the had done. The whole thing had to be spelt surrounding recent talks and the real threat defence ministers. entertainment and cultural fields, around a recently the horrific murder of Rosemary PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. numbers of people whose nationalism or establishment of the Assembly executive - out for the UUP dunder-heads. of a turbulent and dangerous summer dozen trade union general secretaries, Nelson, make it incumbent upon all of us John McDonnell MP, There would be common military republicanism is confined purely to the paving the way for powers to be devolved On 21 May, the Prime Minister's chief ahead, the number of such optimists is Irish community, human-right and in this country who support the Kevin McNamara MP, planning, common intelligence gathering, political sphere. on the same day (1 July) as devolution in of staff, Jonathan Powell, wrote another small indeed. Maria Fyfe MP and of course a common Euro-bomb, with campaigning organisations, business, implementation of the Agreement to make the Germans getting their finger on the religious and student leaders as well as a our voices heard." Euro-nuclear-trigger in a way they could OBITUARY — CAROL NEVIN PLEASE SUPPORT THE 60th ANNIVERSARY APPEAL Commonwealth warning the editor's competence or the paper's never succeed in doing on their own - for ON SATURDAY 13 March after a secular know her. I first met her on a coach party IN THE matter of going back to the Letters to the Editor valued contributor of over ten years the French and British nuclear weapons service, followed by one in the going from Belfast to Bodenstown for the THIS YEAR we are proud to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Irish Democrat. Commonwealth, for any country, it is to standing. will henceforth become European, if Tony Presbyterian church, Carol Nevin was annual commemoration at Wolfe Tone's First published by the Connolly Club, the forerunner of the CA, in January 1939, the Write to: The Editor, Irish Democrat, c/o 244 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8JR Blair continues to play along. be hoped that people realise the interred in the family grave at Castlerock, graveside. Sadie, Maura and Carol Nevin paper has an unmatched record of campaigning for Irish unity and independence or email at: [email protected] implications fully. Orange loyalty test Germany proposes that the EU would near Coleraine. The large party of had drawn on the example set by the based on peace, equality and justice for all. Help us to keep the flag of freedom flying. KNOWING HOW loyal to the Crown and use NATO resources for European-led mourners evidenced the breadth of Carol's redoubtable Coleraine man, the late The main implication is that such a country will be made a war base, and the a perfectly natural hatred everywhere. Too much of a family affair? work, are bejaxed, flummoxed and gob- the Royal Family the Orangemen of operations. At NATO's 50th anniversary interests. Alderman Jimmy Murphy. When the I would like to make a donation of £50 £25 £10 £5 other people called on to go out in the trenches If any of Ireland's people want HISTORY MAY be a family affair, as smacked at his effrontery. Northern Ireland supposedly are, 1 have bash in Washington at the end of April, the A lecturer in Art at the Causeway Campaign for Democracy was formed in and fight England's wars for her. themselves, their offspring and their Peter Ellis (sic) constantly affirms but, due Do I have to delve into McGarry often wondered what sort of reception the USA, which runs NATO, gave its blessing Institute, Coleraine, Carol - along with 1991 to commemorate the founding of the I would like to take out a subscription/gift subscription (£5.50, Britain - supporting The Irish are immensely popular neighbours to be exterminated in constant to the indulgence of the editor, 1 swear 1 family history to get published in the Duke of Norfolk and his family would to the German plan. her mother and her sister Maura - United Irishmen they gave it their active subscription £ 10, £8, Europe, £ 11, US A & Canada, £ 12, Australia & New Zealand) abroad because they do not get into wars and in new famines, let them go back know more about the Ellis family tree than Democrat? receive if they visited the six counties, the The reason EU states were so contributed to progressive cultural and support. aggressive warfare with other races. to the Commonwealth now, taking their I do of the family histories of all the Irish Sean McGarry House of Norfolk being the one branch of compliant with the US in bombing Serbia political causes. With her bereaved family Lately Carol had been working with Name _ Address Hence a lot of strange characters, who are bags and belongings with them, but not presidents of the USA put together. Bradford-on Avon the Royal Family that has always is that they see their plans for ail EU army at the graveside were people from the Irish the Scottish Office to promote the cultural Hibernophobes, will happily hide behind taking the population of Ireland with Those of us trying to catch the editor's remained Catholic. tied up with the success or failure of language movement, the SDLP, the ties which exist between the western isles Post code an Irish passport in order to be made them. eye, as I do, with my account of the • Ed / can assure Mr McGarry that the Y. Boydell NATO's Balkan operations. Campaign for Democracy, the New of Scotland and Antrim. She will be welcome in far away places. slaughter of three million, mainly young ac t of delving into one 's family history is Essex (and Wexford) That, not concern for the Kosovo Ireland Group and the Communist Party. deeply missed by those who knew and Cheques and postal orders (sterling only please) to be made payable to If the Irish join in with the British Catholics in Nigeria, who were largely not. as you appear to suggest, a Albanians, was what made those fellows Carol was a sincere and warm hearted worked with her. Some people are Connolly Publications Limited, armies and death squads their popularity M. McGuinn educated by Irish missionaries, and killed prerequisite for catching the editor 's eve. • The editor welcomes letters, but accomplices in NATO's cowardly person whose unassuming nature irreplacable. and sent to: CA, 244 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8JR will end and they will earn for themselves London with British arms because of British dirty hut then neither is recourse to attacks on reserves the nght to shorten as necessary bombing-campaign captivated all who had the good fortune to Bobbie Heatley I • I ; ,1 1 S ( ' II .1.11 ' i ' I I : I 1 !" I , I I , ' ] . I .1 I I . ; I .1 I t Page III Irish Democrat June/July 1999 Irish Democrat June/July 1999 Page 7 I I Analysis Features connolly column Opposition grows to NATO link-up the first time in its history. In doing so it message increasingly directed at Ahem IRISH NEUTRALITY This article, from the Irish comprehensively broke the rules of from within his own Fianna Fail party. By a special correspondent international law. Overnight the Fianna F4il MEPs Brian Crowley and Worker of 26 September 'Partnership for Peace' became a Nuala Ahem are among those supporting United in 1914, soon after the IRISH TAOISEACH Bertie Ahem has 'Partnership for War' and the conflict a referendum. A growing number of TDs reaffirmed his government's impacted on the dynamics of the PfP and local councillors are also in favour. outbreak of imperialist war, determination to sign up to the NATO-led debate. Fine Gael MEP Mary Banotti echoed Partnership for Peace without first holding When Fine Gael leader John Bruton her party leader John Bruton, by remains a powerful a referendum, despite overwhelming surprised everyone by criticising NATO suggesting that any decision on PfP commentary on the evidence that a majority of Irish people for precipitating the refugee catastrophe in should be postponed until there has been a revolutionary believe one should be held. Kosovo by dropping bombs, while proper debate, more thorough than what morality of imperial Public-opinion polls have shown over breaking international law by acting had gone on inside the Taoiseach's head. without a UN mandate, it was clear that he Proinsias de Rossa, the Labour Party's warmongering and the 70 per cent of the population are in favour of a referendum. Nobel Prize-winner was closer to Irish public opinion than foreign policy spokesman, has publicly hypocrisy employed to Seamus Heaney, dramatist Brian Friel, Bertie Ahem. disagreed with party leader Ruairf Quinn singers Christy Moore, Mary Black and "We don't need a referendum for a over PfP. Quinn, like his predecessor Dick struggle justify the unjustifiable Luka Bloom, trade unionists Mick thing like this", suggested the Taoiseach, Spring, is all for joining anything military. O'Reilly and John Carroll, the Catholic despite his previous statement about it But De Rossa is a Labour Euro-candidate panic stricken as they saw the ideas of the Bishops of Killaloe and Killala, and many being "fundamentally undemocratic" not and has to face the voters. Ruth Frow of the Working Class Movement Library in French Revolution spreading among their Some perverted battle lines other prominent Irish people, are among to have one. The Euro-elections in June Not to be outflanked, Bemie Malone, Salford sheds further light on links between the United Catholic tenants. In particular they feared NOTHING IS more remarkable in this war* than the manner in which the ruling class those calling for a referendum. could serve as a substitute, he suggested, the other Labour Euro-candidate for that a French force would land and in the countries of the Triple Alliance have appropriated and used for their own purposes Anti-PfP groups have sprung up fraudulently. Everyone knows that the Dublin, called for a referendum too. Irish movement and the United Englishmen in the support an Irish rebellion. every phrase and rallying cry that their political opponents had coined against them. around the country in response to Bertie Euro-elections will be about much more It is now absolutely clear that Ahem northwest of England during the 1790s Landlords in south Armagh formed the For years the socialists have preached against war, and preached with such vehemence Ahern's attempt to retreat from Ireland's than PfP. The real reason for Ahern's has a fight on his hands, both within his Orange Order in 1795 as an anti-Catholic and argumentative persuasiveness that their anti-militarist campaign had profoundly traditional policy of independence in opposition is that a PfP referendum might own party and in relation to Irish public rural protection force. Orange lodges influenced public opinion in Europe, and raised hopes that the era of international blood- foreign affairs, and military neutrality. The be lost if one were held. opinion in general, if he wants to join N ENGLAND in the 1790s, there estimates is illustrated by the fact that the spread rapidly throughout the country, letting was past. Vain delusion! As soon as the capitalist class of England concluded that campaign has brought together a wide 'Let the people decide' is also the NATO's PfP. was a rapidly growing working members of the national committee of encouraged by the landlords. These lodges the time was ripe for the destruction of their German competitors, so far from finding the range of political forces including greens, class strongly influenced by both England were unknown to the rest of the instituted harsh repressive measures and peace campaign of the socialists a hindrance, it proceeded to use it as a useful asset in the republicans, socialists and members of the the American struggles to rid membership, although their dictates were forced many young men to flee to militarist business. With perfectly fiendish and sardonic humour it took up the rallying mainstream political parties. There was no Neither king nor kaiser will we serve themselves of colonial domination implicitly obeyed. England. Those who found their way to cries of the Peace Party and used them as its very own. fiercer critic of NATO's PfP than Ahem Once more the war clouds gather as Will you heed James Connolly's call: and by the French revolution. By the spring of 1797, the United Manchester added a dimension to the It called upon the labour parties, the socialists, the humanitarians among the liberals when he was leader of the opposition. The the bombs fall on Belgrade "Neither King nor Kaiser will we serve." Fuelled by the ideas implanted by Tom Englishmen in the northwest were so well growing political discontent in the area. and radicals to rally to the aid of the British Army to "make war upon war", to "put an case for it had not been made, he said And the cry once more is: I Paine's Rights of Man, they began organised that the government found it In 1797, the British economy faltered. end to militarism", to "bring peace on earth and goodwill among men" at the point of then, acknowledging that PfP was a step "We must play our part" Ignore the trinity of traitors campaigning for reform. Manchester was difficult to penetrate them, even with their Piecework prices collapsed. The textile British bayonets, and to sweep German commerce off the seas as a preliminary to towards full membership of NATO. All And our leaders break their promise that dwell in Leinster House Engraved mirror on the door of the Working Class Movement Library's Irish room a focal point of the agitation. spies and intelligence agents. There were industry, already suffering from over- establishing brotherhood with the German peoples. With the honourable exception of the sides are keen to remind him of his that we will have our say Who want the Tiger with the Brown Bag Half way through the 18th century the 12 districts, each sending delegates to a stocked markets, was badly hit. People The demand for peace with France districts. Independent Labour Party and the Socialist Labour Party, the organised and unorganised previous position: "We would regard any As they stab our little nation through the as their god population of Manchester was about county committee which maintained demanded an end to war with France, and loomed large in the English societies. It The government staggered from crisis labour advocates of peace in Great Britain swallowed the bait, and are now beating the attempt to push Partnership for Peace or heart They've no homes fit for heroes 40,000. Fifty years later it had more than correspondence with the rest of the there was an upsurge in pamphlet sales. penetrated the navy, which was seething to crisis. In Ireland, the struggle sharpened war-drums and hounding their brothers on the butchery of their German comrades - and participation in Western European Union but want heroes fit for homes doubled. Men and women seeking work country and with Ireland. There was a with discontent over pay and conditions to become actual war and bloody hounding them on with the cant of fraternity on their lips. tasks by resolution through this House So for the sake of all that's decent As they wallow in their lies and in their flocked in from the agricultural districts continual exchange with the United HE UNITED Irishmen sent and where there were large numbers of repression in May. 1798. The alliance For a generation the French government has made war upon the secular powers of without reference to the people, who will you heed James Connolly's call: fraud. and from Ireland, deprived of their Irishmen through Liverpool and Cheshire, emissaries abroad to solicit Irishmen in the ranks. The fleet mutinied between Catholics and Protestants had the Catholic Church in Fiance. It abolished the Concordat between the Church and State, under our constitution have the right 'in "Neither King nor Kaiser will we serve." livelihoods by English landlords. and copies of the printed constitution and funds and appeal for support. and had to be placated with considerable been largely broken by the English made public property of the churches, did away with religious teachings in schools, final appeal to decide on all questions of So for the sake of all that's decent But their hopes of a better life were oath were found in the area. Father James O'Coigly, who concessions, although the leaders were authorities and, after bitter fighting, the removed all religious emblems from its national policy', as a serious breach of Keep away from bloody Nato will you heed James Connolly's call: frustrated. They'became part of the rapidly James Dixon, who originated from had been bom in Armagh in treated with the utmost severity. rising was supressed. courts of law and public buildings, seized faith and fundamentally undemocratic," don't join the PFP With honourable "Neither King nor Kaiser will we serve." developing capitalist system, whose sole Belfast and had lived in Manchester for 1762 and educated for the However, the government spy system In the weeks prior to the Irish uprising and auctioned off property the Church he said in opposition. Stay out of all their dirty killing games. interest was profit. _ over ten years, maintained a liaison priesthood at a college in Paris, was began to pay dividends. In July 1797, all the leading United Englishmen in claimed as its own, and exercised its Why then did the Taoiseach say in They want young Ireland marching So for the sake of all that's decent T exceptions, the In 1787, there.were estimated to be between Belfast and the northwest. On appointed United Irish Ambassador to the James Robinson of Hollingworth was Manchester were arrested, including power with such relentlessness that many January last that he wanted to sign up not to freedom but to hell will you heed James Connolly's call: 5,000 Irishmen in'Manchester, many of one trip he brought 400 copies of the French Directory. He travelled via arrested as he read out a copy of the Cheetham, Dixon and Cowdroy. They religious orders abandoned the country Ireland for membership of PfP? Whatever Serving Brit and Yankee bloodlust is their organised and "Neither PFP nor Nato will we serve." whom worked as weavers and shoemakers United Irish constitution. Manchester, where he was informed that United constitution to a crowd on Burstall were taken in heavy chains to London and removed themselves and all their the reason, Ahem's tum-around on PfP aim. and in other artisan trades. Some aspects of Three Irish weavers, John Dodds and there were over 80 societies in the Moor in the West Riding. He got six where they were tried and imprisoned. belongings to Ireland, America, Belgium could not have been more ill-timed. unorganised labour Ray O'Reilly the British economy, such as canal and road Thomas Towell from Downshire and northwest and given sufficient finance to months in prison. The struggle rumbled on into the 19th and other more friendly countries. NATO went to war short! afterwards for So for the sake of all that's decent Dublin, May 1999 building, relied on cheap Irish labour and Andrew Donaghue from Armagh, were continue his journey to France. On his way to France in May 1798 century. By the Autumn of 1800 the Whether it was its right or not is seasonal migration while their crops — members. They lived in in Beck Lees O'Coigly was followed by two Bow Street United Englishmen were re-forming. advocates of peace immaterial - the material point is that in essential to the Irish economy — were Lane, near the White Hart Inn, which was constables and, on arriving in London, Hunger, deprivation and food riots formed its defence the Church, through all its IN BRIEF growing at home. known as Liberty Hall as the customers was arrested. In his pocket was a the platform for political agitation. in Great Britain organs, represented France as a godless, Homelessness plague Radicals were Democrats in both countries found were mainly United Englishmen, although document from the Secret Committee of Chalked slogans appeared on walls atheistic country which God in His own Civil rights veteran dies common ground in their need for change. many were of Irish origin. England, which gave the government around Manchester, always introduced by swallowed the bait time would doubtless punish in order to hits 'Tiger' economy vociferous in their Irish and English businessmen, especially James Dixon worked closely with sufficient evidence to make other arrests 'NO KING' avenge His persecuted faithful. But when and are now PADDY KENNEDY, a founder member those involved in the textile industry, William Cheetham, a small businessman. demands for throughout the country. O'Coigly was However, the government again it became necessary to go to war with years. Last year Cork County Council was HOUSING CRISIS of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights joined in the Constitutional Society. In Together they recruited a number of tried, found guilty of treason and was managed to penetrate the movement. By Germany, France joined England in able to build just 45 new houses, while the Association and Republican Labour MP Ireland, a Society of United Irishmen was Englishmen, including Samuel Patterson, hanged on 7 June 1798. March 1801, the Habeas Corpus beating the war- raising a newspaper wail over the Jim Savage parliamentary city received funds for a further 70 homes. for Central Belfast between 1969 and Amendment Act was suspended and sufferings of "poor Catholic Belgium", formed in Belfast in 1791. an auctioneer, and Robert Gray, a cotton The document found on him Housing officials throughout the area 1972, died recently in Dublin, aged 55. gatherings began to take place at drums planted machine guns in the churches at The government saw danger and took manufacturer. reform confirmed what the government had EVIDENCE THAT homelessness in agree that the small number of new homes Kennedy refused to join his former traditional sites. Ostensibly, their objective Louvain and field artillery before the extraordinary measures to prevent further Because of the need for secrecy, the learned from other sources. There was a Ireland has begun to reach epidemic levels are insufficient to cope with growing Republican Labour colleague Gerry Fitt was to support the ancient priviledge of cathedral at Rheims, and when the Germans in self-defence trained their own artillery developments, instituting a system of activities of the United Irishmen and large and expanding Society of United was highlighted recently in Cork after it demands. when the latter left to head the newly- petitioning the monarch. It was the failure upon these sacred buildings, in order to destroy the French fire, the resultant damage was spies and informers. The radicals, Englishmen were not well publicised. In William Cheetham was among those Englishmen, modelled on the United was revealed that more than 200 homeless The housing problem in Cork is formed SDLP in 1970. Kennedy withdrew of that method that gave rise to the made the basis of an allegation that the Germans were making war upon religion, which recognising their vulner ;ty, took equal England the two groups appear to be who contributed, raising one hundred Irishmen, in and around Manchester. people had been turned away from the reflected throughout the country and from Stormont shortly after. controversy between those who advocated the pious French government were nobly defending. precautions to maintain secrecy. almost indistinguishable. In London a pounds for the purchase of arms for Further confirmation was obtained city's Simon Community during the first waiting lists in many areas are rising to He stood, unsuccessfully, for the seat In Scotland, the Friends of the People secret committee met at Fumival's Inn Ireland and donating £10 to O'Coigly's from a young Irish weaver named Ken, physical force and those relying on moral To aid this business of representing this French government as noble crusaders in five months of 1999, due to a shortage of record levels. of West Belfast in the 1973 Stormont called a convention which met in cellar in Holbom. Communications were travel fund. Well-known radicals Thomas who was both a Freemason and a member force. The debate continued well into the defence of the Catholic faith, hundreds of little Belgian children have been deported to beds. High rents and spiralling house prices elections. Following his defeat, Kennedy Edinburgh. English reform societies sent by word of mouth or by cypher. Walker, Thomas Collier, Thomas Norris, of the Knights Templar. He had visited century and involved both the Chartists Great Britain and Ireland, and are now scattered up and down the land so Catholics may Available figures show that there are have been identified as the main reason for and the women's suffrage movement. turned his back on high-profile political delegates. From that meeting, a group of They co-operated closely in Joseph Hanson and Samuel Jackson also Rev. John Waring, a Roman Catholic be moved by sympathy with their suffering to go out and fight for the French up to 6,000 applicants on city and county the growing crisis. activity and resettled in Dublin, where he United Englishmen was formed in Manchester and successfully penetrated gave donations. priest at Thomley, near Preston, and had After the suppression of the government, which a few months ago they were being taught to curse in the name of waiting lists, with all areas showing big Earlier this year, the Conference of lived until his death. Manchester on 20 April 1797. A group the army. Soldiers who agreed with them O'Coigly encouraged systematic informed him that he estimated the Corresponding Societies a secret Catholicity. Just as the peace campaign in England became a weapon in the hands of the increases. Religious Orders in Ireland predicted that was also formed in Scotland called The swore an oath to "Assist with arms... to attempts to penetrate the local militia. The Society to have 20,000 members in revolutionary tradition persisted in the War Party, so the Catholic propaganda in Ireland and England has been made a valuable The number of people applying for housing waiting lists could soar to around Blair rejects Wright inquiry United Scotsmen, although it remained establish a republican government in this Ancient British Light Dragoons, who later Manchester, all of whom were prepared to radical movement. The continued too I in the services of the free-thinking rulers of France. housing in County Cork has risen by 66,000, while official figures show over BRITISH PRIME Minister Tony Blair has fairly small and was dissolved in 1799. country and in others." were particularly harsh in their repressive join the French in the event of an invasion. participation of the Irish ii, English The small, conquered nations in Europe have, in a thousand ways, fought to almost 1,200 since the last assessment in 6,000 are homeless. rejected calls by the family of Billy The United groups followed the The rapid development of industry in measures in Ireland, had a radical cell in Waring passed the information to the progressive politics continued, to the great propagate the idea of nationality, to emphasize the value of small nations and their 19%, with West Cork, which has seen However, homelessness campaigners Wright for a public inquiry into the killing format of the United Irishmen, and the Lancashire, particularly in the southeast of their ranks. One soldier was discovered Duke of Portland who in turn passed it on advantage of the English special contributions to civilization. Part and parcel of their propaganda has of necessity housing lists rise by around 500, suggest that official figures could of the loyalist terror leader in December connection between Irish and English the county, brought people together. They with a letter from William Cheetham, a to Thomas Butterworth Bayley, one of the The greater the suppression of the Irish been directed against the two empires which in Europe stand alone in the unenviable registering the biggest increase in the area. significantly underestimate the real scale 1997. At the time, the assassination of reformers gave the movement fresh formed trade unions in which the copy of the constitution of the United senior magistrates in the town. Bayley struggle for national independence, the position of suppressing national existences and insisting upon small nations conforming Although city officials have been of the problem. Billy 'King Rat' Wright by a group of impetus. In London the movement grew interaction between industrial and Englishmen and a membership card. persuaded Robert Gray, a prominent more the workers in Britain benefitted to the mould in which these empires would cast them. unable to provide a detailed breakdown of Warning that that the problem has INLA prisoners posed a serious threat rapidly and other groups formed in the political activity was close. Campaigning accelerated during 1797. member of the Corresponding Society, to from their revolutionary traditions and But as soon as these two empires, England and Russia - the only two empires in housing needs they have been able to reached crisis proportions, the homeless peace process, heightening community West Country and in Wales, but the largest The government saw dangers in the Radicals were vociferous in their demands become a government agent. experience through the participation of Europe which do not respect the formation** of small nations within their borders - as confirm that around 3,000 are waiting for action group, Focus Ireland, believes that tensions and unleashing a new wave of number of groups was in Lancashire. By situation and took repressive action. A for parliamentary reform. The United The information from Gray confirmed immigrant Irish in the English labour s(x>n as England, and Russia go to war they, with the effrontery of Satan, raise the some form of accommodation. the real level homelessness could be up to sectarian, loyalist attacks against 1797 there were 50 divisions in series of Combination Acts forced the societies went further and, according to that there were over 80 divisions, each movement. It is a process still very much slogans of small nationalities as their battle cries, and call upon the world to admire them Of these, over 1,500 have not had their three times that admitted by government Catholics in the province. Manchester and the adjacent country. unions underground for a quarter of a the Committee of Secrecy, had as their consisting of between 15 and 30 men; that in being today. as the deliverers of the oppressed nations. And to crown it all, we see Ireland, which for needs assessed due to a lack of council figures. Billy Wright's father has accused the Each division consisted of no fewer than century, during which time they had to real object "the overthrow of the British a county committee sat in Manchester, An extended version of this article centuries has whined to Europe for relief against England, now being led by its elected resources. While homeless figures have rocketed British government of pursuing a 15 members. When the government took operate as friendly societies — an illegal Constitution, confiscation of property, and and that the composition of the Society appears in the Working Class leader to fight for England, that the British Empire might continue to keep its navy as a Until last year both authorities had over the past three years, despite the so- republican agenda and of sanctioning his repressive measures in 1798 and arrested a tradition which originated in the shadowy the erection of a democratic republic was mostly small tradesmen and weavers. Movement Library Bulletin 9 For sword at the throat of Europe. The irony of it all! received no extra funding from the called economic boom, it is clear that the son's 'execution' and is now seeking number of the leaders it was estimated that societies of the United Englishmen. founded on the ruins of all religion, and of He named the radical printer Cowdroy as further information contact the library al * 1914-18 war Department of the Environment to assist rich continue to be the main beneficiaries support for an inquiry from the Irish there were 80 divisions countrywide. In Ireland, the landed aristocracy, all political and civil society and framed having printed the constitution and the 51 The Crescent. Sal font M5 -4WX; ** It has been suggested that Connolly meant existence' rather than 'formation' with the growing housing crisis for some of 'Celtic Tiger' economy. government. The difficulty of making accurate mainly Protestant and English, became after the model of France". oaths for distribution to the surrounding website: http://www.wcmi.orK.uk Page 8 Irish Democrat June/July 1999 Irish Democrat June/July 1999 Page Book reviews Book reviews were ultimately restored to him in 1939. The other side A Catholic priest u.ho calls for the History of Ireland by Sarah Heales. is just Bothersome clerics replacement of the exi-ting anti-Chnstian of the coin a little too compact for a story that lakes us capitalist order' with a social order based History in brief from Ireland's earliest settlers through to Blueprint for reform on Christian principles and their practical Loyalist prisoners and the Good Friday Agreement in just 96 \lo\a Si l.iX'' revie\i * application laid down in the teachings ot Unda Finlax review s Defenders or crimlnalisatlon Irish, other topics covered include 17th pages. Even pared back to an absolute Dec Ian O'Brien reviews: A Compact Unusual Suspects: twelve James ConnolK and James Fintan Lalor' Criminals? Loyalist prisoners COON fOAWfoKD and 18th-centuries literature of the minimum, it's difficult to see how an Endu EmUix reviews Policing Northern History of Ireland; The Story Ireland: proposals for a new start hx radical clergy. b\ Duns Carroll. belongs in the calendar ot saints. and criminalisation by Colin oppressed Irish, the Celtic Revival and the account of the Easter Rising and its POLICING Virtually nothing was known about Fr of Irish Emigration; The Story John McGarry and Brendan O Lean. ('ohtmba Press. pbk Crawford. Blackstaff Press, £12.99 pbk role of Conradh na Gaeilge, government aftermath can fail to mention James NORTHERN IRELAJ of the Irish Language; The UNUSUAL James Quiglev (1761 -1798) from Armagh policy since the foundation of the Free Connolly! Blackstaff Press, £9.99 pbk Ptopoiak fot o now stat I ' J 1916 Rising, Mervier, pbk £4.99 each until Mgr Ravmond Murray completed state and the present state of the language. The Irish labour leader fares better in THE POLICY of criminalisation I M M AI SUSPECTS is an SUSPECTS his research some years ago. Although well-written, A Compact Edward Purdon's The 1916 Rising, which O'LEARY AND McGarry locate this new introduced by the British government in examination of the work ot twelve denes Carroll pa\s tribute to Fr Murray's MERCIER PRESS'S recently launched would make a tolerable starting point for study of the RUC within the broad context 1976 attempted to redefine the nature of from different traditions in Ireland whose essential work. Protestant, Catholic and pocket-sized compact Irish history series those new to the subject. Although some and terms of reference of the Good Friday the conflict in Ireland from political soeial and theological views put them at Dissenter, which was published while's is unashamedly aimed at the general of the author's conclusions are highly agreement (GFA). The GFA recognises struggle to criminal conspiracy. This odds with their own churches and the Carroll's chapter was being prepared. reader, students and tourists. contentious, it's very readable and that policing is a central issue in the north establishment Active in the northern United policy ultimately led to the hunger strike Despite their brevity, each includes a helpful bibliographical and this concern has led to the setting up I was in Berlin while I was reading this Irishmen. Quigley s main contribution and the politicisation of the republican book is between 80 and 109 pages index for those unfamiliar with the of the Patten Commission, which is due to movement, instead of the expected prison officers. hook and met a consultant psychologist may have been to cement an alliance long, at least three will be of some key players of the eta. report later this year. I > 'backlash' it responded by developing its One of Crawford's main, and perhaps who runs leadership courses. between the United Irishmen and the interest to Irish Democrat readers Frank D'Arcy's The Story of An early and important point that the political base and contesting elections. surprising, conclusions is that prior to the With unusual suspects in mind, I asked Defenders. He w as hanged at Maidstone. and all include short bibliographies or Irish Emigration traces the story back authors make is that at no time since its What Crawford attempts to show is how policy change in 1976 there was a degree him about people who resist being 'led' Presbyterian ministers who openly directions for further reading, although to the movement of people from the foundation have Catholics joined the RUC and w ho don't like to toe the line. opposed political and social injustices are this policy affected the loyalist prisoners. of co-operation between loyalists and some of these are better than others. north-east of Ireland to western Scotland Twelve Radical Cleryj in number equivalent to, or anywhere I McGAKR* i BRENDAN O a Ait* His reply needed no explanation: "It is no less impressive. The book is divided into two parts. The republicans, which could have led to For anyone with very little knowledge and Wales around the fifth century. near, their proportion of the population. chapters on how to change the necessary for some people to be different, The sarcastic homilies of James Porter first offers an assessment of the situation further agreement and possibly a peace of the Irish language or its history The The longest book in the series, it Such an historical insight contradicts the composition, organisation and hierarchy to pull away from the others." relevant historical background about the (1753-1798), who preached against 'the in the prison system before and after process. However, this opportunity was Story of the Irish Language by Edward explores the reasons for successive waves argument, widely been put about by those ot the RUC - within a framework of social and political issues which stirred criminalisation, whilst the second consists not only missed but effectively destroyed Carroll's clerics, six Catholics, four emerging repression in Ireland and the Purdon offers a succinct and painless of Irish emigration throughout the opposing RUC reform, that republican human rights - and a useful summary of the passions and often drove these of in-depth interviews with ex-prisoners by the British government with the ending Presbyterians, and two Church of Ireland anti-democratic thrust of church-state opportunity to dent one's ignorance. centuries, which have combined to 'intimidation' has been responsible for the the authors' main recommendations. clergymen, were driven by that churchmen into action frowned upon by collaboration' spelt death for him. It was (loyalist, republican and other) and with of Special Category Status. Covering the development of the Irish produce the geographical diversity and lack of Catholics in the RUC. Many readers may disagree with the 'necessity'. their own churches. claimed he was a colonel in the United language from Ogam through to modern impact of the modem-day diaspora. What the authors attempt to do in this book's central thesis that the RUC is I immediately turned to the priest who, The accounts of their lives are not Irishmen. On 2 July 1798 he was REVIEWS IN BRIEF book is to break the dichotomy between reformable - or question whether, indeed, to my mind, has long qualified as a presented as mini-biographies. Divided executed. those calling for the RUC disbandment this is even a desirable course of action candidate for canonisation. Fr Michael WRITTEN BY the team who brought us hbk). into three pails, the book covers the 18th I warmed to James Armour (1841 - Yet, as an act of black propaganda in the and those opposing change - by arguing However, such arguments are necessary to the innovative Drawing Conclusions: a First published in 1912, this facsimile and 19th centuries and the period up to the O'Flanagan (1876-1942), erstwhile 1928), a unionist in the most liberal sense, classic 'Clockwork Orange' mould, its for a thoroughgoing reform capable of open and widen the debate 011 the future of edition makes available once again this 1940s. and places each man within his president of Sinn Fein. favouring both union with Britain or the cartoon history of Anglo-Irish relations, The honest broker objective was to jeopardise the peace winning support from both sides'. policing and to establish an irrefutable Ireland since 1690: a concise history brief, rose-tinted portrait of the Titanic's historical setting. His bitter criticism of the church and unity of Ireland, whatever was best for process. This book focuses on how the Rl 'C case for change. How radical and deep- chief designer and managing director of A focussed introduction to each radical left-wing views led to his being Ireland. (Blackstaff Press, £8.99 pbk) is one of a Although, in the end, Mitchell can become a more democratically rooted a change will be another important section provides the reader with the stripped of his priestly faculties, which A splendid book. number of general histories currently on Harland and Wolff. David Granville reviews Making diplomatically absolves the British his accountable police force and be changed test of the implementation of the Good the market. Andrews, one of those who lost his life Friday agreement. Peace by Senator George Mitchell, feelings on the matter are suitably into a police service. The book includes unionists and British politicians - the Its clear, intelligent presentation of the on the ship's fateful maiden voyage, was forthright: "In all my years in politics, I War and partition William Heinemann, £17.99 hbk army top brass insisted that it would not main events and issues makes it a highly an ardent capitalist, opponent of Home have never been involved in anything so fight the unionists and Carson was drafted readable introduction to the period Rule, a "firm Unionist" and a 'peace- despicable,' he writes. Cultural 'Field Day' Eddie Mulligan reviews Dividing into the government for the duration of the covered. It also benefits from taking the loving' imperialist, according to this book. IF THERE is one person who can While many commentators have war. reader through to the Good Friday It will, therefore, xome of something Ireland: World War I and genuinely lay claim to the title of 'honest referred to Mitchell's 'legendary' Eddie Mulligan reviews Crazy John Even though thousands of Irishmen agreement and its immediate aftermath. of a surprise to readers bf this paper that, partition hx Thomas Hcnnessex. broker' in the recent phase of the Irish patience, there is evidence here that it was and the Bishop and Other joined the British Army, only the so-called The book includes an extensive given his political and, class affiliations, peace process, then US Senator George Routlcdgc. £16.99 pbk sorely tested on numerous occasions - not Essays on Irish Culture by Tern loyalists, who were allowed to form their chronology, lists of both British and Irish Andrews is portrayed throughout as brave, Mitchell must surely be a strong least when, a year and a half into the talks, Eaglet on, Cork UP, £14.95 pbk own regiments, were given credit for their heads of government (from Lord North to heroic, thoroughly decent, good to his contender. ' " they hadn't even agreed a final agenda. THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED, exploits during the war. Tony Blair on the British side and from workers, kind to children and generally Making Peaca sets out Mitchell's At such moments Mitchell's political Divided Ireland is a highly readable British national papers did not report William T. Cosgrave to Bertie Ahern on loved and respected by everyone. Of account of his involvement in the politics and diplomatic skills, dogged optimism THIS COLLECTION of essays by Terry account of the problems surrounding the the valour and heroism of the other Irish the Irish side) and a useful bibliography course, all of this may well of been true, of Northern Ireland from his role with the and tremendous self-belief all played a Eagleton, published as part of Field Day's noble attempts of Irish nationalists to soldiers. This deliberate policy has led to pointing the reader in the direction of but the picture is so perfect as to instill International Body" on Decommissioning part in ensuring that progress was Critical Conditions series, covers aspects achieve freedom and independence from the widespread belief that only the Ulster further investigation. doubts in even the most sympathetic through to his chairing'of the negotiations eventually made. of Irish culture over the past two centuries. England, whilst having in their midst a loyalists helped the war effort, which has, The continuing growth of interest in reader. File under hagiography. leading up to the Good Friday agreement. Ever sensitive to the nuances of The author critiques a wide range of core of dissidents whose privileges in turn, coloured British public opinion Irish genealogy, particularly among Two new books by Erin I. Bishop However, those anticipating the Northern Ireland politics, it appears that authors from Thomas Moore, Oliver depended on their remaining within the throughout the present troubles. residents of the diaspora, should ensure provide a fascinating insight into the revelatory prospects of an insider's view Mitchell wrote Making Peace with at Goldsmith and Edmund Burke, to Samuel British empire. This book provides an excellent that the revised edition of Tracing Your family life of Ireland's most important are likely to be disappointed,. What we get least one eye to the many difficulties that Beckett, W.B Yeats and Austin Clarke. account of the political forces at work in Irish Ancestors (Gill & Macmillan, 19th century Catholic family. The World The author give a balanced account of The book highlights the failure of is as carefully crafted and 'balanced' as Ulsterman, Ian Paisley. would continue to stalk the peace process He also examines the work of lesser- an over-concentration on the better-known Ireland in the period leading up to and £12.99 pbk) retains its popularity as of Mary O'Connell 1778-1836 (Lilliput the arguments on both sides and uses mainstream politicians such as John the agreement itself. One of the few other occasions where for some considerable time to come. known writers such as William Dunkin figures such as Yeats, Synge, Joyce and during the first war and the partition of essential for family history sleuths. Press, £15 pbk) 'My Darling Danny': source material from contemporaneous Redmond to win concessions from the In short, this is not one of those he allows himself to be sharply critical The result, while not without interest and Fredrick Ryan who, while just as Beckett is nevertheless dominated by the Ireland and should appeal to both the letters from Mary O'Connell to her son newspaper reports and politicians' British by parliamentary means. This Completely redesigned and updated to 'settling the scores', 'setting the record concerns what appears to have been an or passion, is one of those books that talented as many of the above, are not as post-modernist agenda, resulting in an student and general reader alike. Oaniel 1830-1832 (Cork University speeches. contrasts with the nefarious antics of the include new sources, the second edition is straight' or 'dishing the dirt' accounts. attempt by elements within MIS to would have benefited from being written well-known or appreciated in the literary "unsavoury air of parochialism". less dependent on Dublin repositories than Press) are both based around Mary's On the contrary, Mitchell barely has a discredit Mitchell by spreading false at more of a distance from the actual field. The collection concludes with a The dictates of North American seats its predecessor, published in 1992. copious correspondence with family and bad word for anybody, least of all the rumours of an affair between a key events. I can't help feeling that that it will discussion of the 'revisionist' controversy. of learning tend to favour academic work The new edition includes a friends. cultural developments and organis- i government leaders - though his extensive member of his team, Martha Pope, and be down to others to provide a more Eagleton claims to offer these essays on gender or racial stereotyping. Eagleton Textbook focus on comprehensive list of Catholic records The books provide important detail of ations such as the Gaelic League get a 1 experience in the political fast lane had leading Sinn Feiner, Gerry Kelly. revealing, detailed and probably less not only for their own merit, but as a argues, even though more mundane topics and details of the Mormon's Family the social concerns and aspirations of fair look in. clearly done little to prepare him for the Like Mitchell, we can only guess at the wholesome account of this important challenge to a narrowness he perceives in such as religion or education might be of a revolutionary era History Centres, one of the world's richest middle-class Catholics in Ireland during Choosing documents for a collection outrageous antics of God's own true identity of those behind the smear. episode in recent Irish history. contemporary Irish cultural studies, where more interest to the Irish themselves. such as volume two must be as hard as genealogical archives. this period. More importantly, they give a Just when you thought that the mania picture of a cultured and intelligent Sally Richardson reviews Inland picking your Desert Island Disks, A.C. any relevance for overcoming Northern colonialism is either ignored or. at best, make it, in the whole of its complexity, the 1905-1925: vol. 1; text and Hepburn has, nevertheless, selected a for all things Titanic was beginning to die 'woman behind the man', who went 'New unionism' project Ireland's political and community downgraded to a bit-piece role of limited sole or the main villain of the piece. And historiography by Russell Rees, and useful assortment from the mass of down up pops Thomas Andrews, through 12 pregnancies holding the family divisions? significance? How is it possible to talk those in this book who are most severe 111 Shipbuilder: a hero of the Titanic by together while her husband pursued his vol.2: documents and analysis newspaper, Hansard, letters, memoirs The way in which some of the about empowering the citizen when he or their refusal to acknowledge, in a and other material available. Shan F. Bullock (Blackstaff Press, £9.99 political and legal careers. bvA.C. Hepburn, Colourpoint, £12.99 fails to pass clarity test contributors, who all write in a personal she is a Royal subject residing in a politically non-sectarian way, any A few gems stand out, like the report capacity, attempt to address these colony? historical progressiveness attached to it and £10.99, pbk from The Times of a brawl in the House of questions throws much light on the Obviously Gerry Kelly's have little or nothing to say about the Commons during the debate on the aim of seeking clarity. political pressures at work within characterisation of the Good Friday deal actual main creator of exclusivist sectarian The Cappoquin Rebellion 1849 Bobbie Heatley reviews The INTENDED PRIMARILY to be used by second Home Rule Bill, which shows that Porter has brought together six Northern Ireland during a world phase in as a compact (or a contract) between blocs in Ireland - British colonialist Republican Ideal, Norman Porter students, these two books are designed to parliamentary manners have, if anything, by Anthony Breen contributors, three of whom: Martin which multinational capitalism appears to opponents, a transition towards the real nationalism. fed.). Blackstaff Press, £12.99 pbk compliment one another, each chapter in improved. I also value the piece on James never designed to resolve the divisions in Mansergh (Fianna Fail, special adviser to have triumphed over the forces of national solution, has fallen on deaf ears in some Finally, there is the other vexed "We do most undoubtedly believe that the country will very volume one having a corresponding section Connolly by his Belfast comrade William society in the north, but to entrench them the Taoiseach), Mitchel McLaughlin (Sinn liberation and socialism. quarters. question of physical force. One thing is shortly be in a more distracted and disturbed state than it was in volume two consisting of relevant McMullen, who writes of his "calm, clear, further and thus maintain unionist power. IF THERE is anyone from a unionist Fein) and Dessie O'Hagan (the Workers' The basic template for an Irish According to the United Irishmen, the clear, the United Irishmen had no scruples documents to support and illustrate it. incisive analysis of his subject... and a Despite this, these books succeed in last year." background in Northern Ireland who is Party), describe themselves as republicanism is, of course, the one which concept of democracy and the in using it when they were harassed into it The subject matter is divided neatly restrained eloquence". giving a clear picture of the political Tipperary magistrates, Clonmel, 17 September 1849 attempting, genuinely, to explore the republicans. was provided for us by the United empowerment of the citizen hinged on the and saw no other possible constitutional into easily-digested chunks - The Ulster The Tan War and Civil War are dealt manoeuvring behind the revolutionary possibility of creating an indigenous 'New The others: David Cook (ex-leader of Irishmen but, with the exception of sovereignty of the nation. Can it be road open to them. Given the balance of Crisis', 'The Easter Rising', and so on. with fairly pertunctorily (only 51 pages events in Ireland at this time. The fact that "The author of this important and highly readable study is to be Unionism' (as opposed to having one the Alliance Party), Eamon Hanna (former Mitchel McLaughlin's contribution, what achieved on the basis of subservien military forces at that time, it might have Chapters in volume one also include an these volumes deal with the events leading foisted upon them in answer to the needs out of 350 in volume I). Although this congratulated for bringing into life this apparently 'forgotten' general secretary of the SDLP) and Avila we get is a cherry picking exercise to suit institutions structured to ossify been an unwise option, but people are historical appendix with details of other isn't a bad thing in itself since the books' up to the Easter Rising, the decline of the of a British establishment) then Norman the predilections of the contributors. episode in Irish history" Kilmurray and Monica McWilliams of the sectarianism? often forced to do things that they do not available publications. scope is much broader than this, the Irish Parliamentary Party, the Porter could lay claim to be that person. Womens' Coalition, do not. What emerges is a plethora of non- Such an institution as the Assembly want to do when they are desperate in the Irish Democrat, April/May 1999 In volume one, Russell Rees manages treatment is too neutral Both British establishment of credible alternatives to it, In this latest book, which follows Porter contents himself with providing connected definitions which are often might be used in the furtherance of a face of an oppressor. to pack a great deal of information and brutality and IRA restraint were greater and British and unionist efforts to frustrate 96 pages. ISBN 1-87-1332-05-02 Rethinking Unionism, his intention is to a summary of their contributions by way unrealistically altruistic, academic, democratic objective (although that Without either justifying or supporting maintains a clear and readable narrative than is allowed for, and who invaded their aspirations, as well as the aftermath Price: £6.00 plus 50p p&p (UK), IRE6.20 plus 80p p&p (Ireland) promote a better understanding of Irish of an introduction while adding a few abstract - i.e. unrelated to the actual remains to be seen) but some of the what has happened in Northern Ireland throughout. Most of his attention is whom anyway ? of partition and the Civil War, enables a Available from: A. M. Breen, 72 Anderson Close, Needham Market, republicanism and to help unionists observations of his own. conditions of struggle - and, in some writers in this book seem to consider it to over the past years in that regard, it is focused on the events and people at The unionists also get off lightly in the better appreciation of the background and Suffolk IP6 8UB or Orla Hayes, CCDC Ltd, Main Street, Cappoquin, Co. overcome their paranoia regarding the The main questions addressed are: cases just plain twaddle. be the actual goal. perhaps reasonable to ask the contributors Waterford, Ireland Tel/fax (00 44) 58 53333, email: [email protected] establishment level, although the labour chapter dealing with the establishment of historical context of events between 1916 subject. what is republicanism? Is it necessarily How is it possible to talk about the While there are exclusivist reactionary to this book whether they detect any and trade union movement, social and the six county statelet. The statelet was and 1923 While his intention is laudable, the separatist? Must it always be inextricably problems of Northern Ireland when the and reactive sectarian tendencies within resemblance to the conditions with which method chosen has not been helpful to his associated with militarism? And, has it continuing existence of British Irish nationalism, it is sheer nonsense to the United Irishmen were faced''

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Reviews and culture itwn-oia. Irish songs Sources said... Seamus O Cionnfhaola Deportees I found my love by the gasworks cry, Andy McElroe PETER MULLIGAN'S regular ALICE Ar Eirinn ni neosainn ce hi I dreamed a dream by the old canal, trawl through the British For Ireland I'd not tell her name In January 1948, a group of Mexican deportees died I kissed my girl by the factory wall media A Ut< ol Alicc Mllljfin A life of Alice in a plane crash near Coalinga and Woody Guthrie Dirty old town, dirty old town The hesitation of Alliance leaders over starting a Although the author of this beautiful love recorded the tragedy in a broadsheet. His protest at the ground war to get the Kosovo refugees back to their Provocation "I can't really see any music. song is unknow n I heard my old teachei inhuman use of human beings is marked by the quiet 1 heard a siren from the dock country reminds me of the words of l/ird Wolseley in reason why we should parade around in . t but angry statement on the lyric and the deep Snib Richardson tfvims The Harper Milligan. along with her friend and say that he was a native of Kerry, li is sin Saw a train set the night on fire this song by Percy French: "My Staff, 'twere circles w ithin, you know, a I (HI per cent tenderness of the refrain. of the Only God: a selection of tellow-poet Anna Johnston produced the the most popular song in my own pans' Smelled the spring in the smoky wind dangerous to face yon deadly foe, Unless we're sure Protestant area. There would be no reason * Setection Ring, Co. Waterford. and is 1 ^ Dirty old town, dirty old town that quite prepared is Andy McElroe." Perhaps that is for the parades." (Orange Order poems by Alice Milligan Sheila Shan Van Vocht. a nationalist paper w ith a o) P««r» by wide circulation and an influence far ALICE performed by Liam Clancy and his group The crops are all in and the peaches aie rotting. what Tony Blair is missing nowadays, those Irish or spokesperson Stephen McAllister turner Johnsum led.), Colourpoint, he\ond what its short three year life MILLIGAN at various gatherings. The oranges are piled in their creosote dumps; Clouds are drifting across the moon Scottish to lead the charge. speaking on BBC Spotlight programme) i>bk tm,I Alice: a life of Alice would suggest. The paper published some They 're flying them back to the Mexico Border - Cats are prowling on their beat Milligan b\ Sheila Turner Johnston. of James Connolly's earliest pieces. Tradition attributes it to a young man who To pay all their wages to wade back again Spring's a girl in the street at night Paramilitary Bands A security source (V)lnurpoinl, phk Milligan's poetry often mixes ancient fell violently in love with the affianced Dirty old town, dirty old town. My brother said that for a soldier he would go. said: "These bands are becoming leaend with contemporary events, as in bride of his own brother. Chorus So great excitement came up upon the house of increasingly paramilitary in style and SHEILA TURNER Johnston's selection Till Ferdia Came, where parallels are Good-bye to my Juan, goodbye Rosalita; I'm going to make a good sharp axe McElroe. seem determined to cause as much of Alice Milligan's poetry makes available made between Cuchullain's fight with his Araoir is me tearnamh ar neoin, Adios muy amigo, Jesus and Maria Shining steel, tempered in the fire My father sold a bog-hole to equip him for the war. offence and aggravation as possible. It is again the work of an important Irish foster-brother and the Civil War. Ar an dtaobh eile den teora 'na mbfm, You won't have a name when you ride the big we'll chop you down like an old dead tree My mother sold the cushions of her Sunday jauntina car. their actions that have sparked a lot of the nationalist writer and activist. She uses the colloquial language of a the Only God. Sheila Turner Johnston matters that affected her, such as women's Do thaobhnaigh an speir bhean im choir, aeroplane. Dirty old town, dirty old town. And when brave Andy reached the front, 'twas furious trouble seen at parades" (Sunday Times) Alice Milligan was born in 186(1 in working-class Belfast housewife in Up the resists Milligan being "stereotyped as a role in Irish nationalism and the problems Dfag taomanach breoite lag sinn: And all they will call will be deportees work he made. NB This comment is aimed at the Omagh, Co. Tyrone, into a lower-middle Falls, however, much of her work is political writer". Yet her poetry is imbued involved in fighting for women's and Do gheilleas da mein is da clo, They appointed him a private in the crocodile brmade. hundreds of overtly sectarian "kick the I class Methodist family (not, as Johnston elegiac in tone, mourning friends like with her love of Ireland and wish for Ireland's rights at the same time. Da beal tanai beo mhilis bhinn: My father's own father, he waded that river, Whisky in the jar The sound of Andy's battle cry struck terror into the foe. pope" bands who play paramilitary tunes states, "upper-crust elite" - Milligan's Roger Casement and Marjorie Arthur. Ireland's freedom. A nice touch, however, is the use of 's gur leimeas fa dhein dul 'na coir, They took all the money they made in his life His foot was on the desert and his name was Mc-EI-roe. and dress in paramilitary fashion. The father was a commercial traveller). The I would have appreciated a stronger This playing-down of Milligan's pen-and-ink sketches from Milligan's 's air Eire ni neosainn ce hi. My brothers and sisters come working the fruit trees This is another case of the highwayman or robber Orange Order has stated it will not enforce Milligan's were cultured and artistic editorial hand, with dates of composition politics is also a weakness of Johnston's diaries to illustrate the biography and her And they rode the truck till the took down and died. being regarded as a hero by the Irish audience, simply Chorus bans imposed by the Parades ; Alice's sister Charlotte, a talented 01 publication, and more-than-cursory short biography. There is little discussion thumbnail drawing of Parnell at a public Da ngeilfeadh an speir bhean dom 'glor. because he upsets the authorities who happen to be the At least that's what the letter said that came across the Commission. j musician, researched Irish folk songs ami annotation. or analysis of the development of meeting a few weeks before his death is Is iad raite mo bheol a bheadh ffor: Well, some are illegal and some are not wanted, foreign occupying power. This song is marvellous for foam, edited Bunting's collection of Irish harp In the introduction to The Harper of Milligan's political thought or other both vivid and memorable. Go deimhin duit do dheanfainn do ghno. Our work contracts out and we have to move on; its fast action: armed robbery from an English captain, To Andy's anxious relatives awaiting him, at home. Loyalist Fascists - "Fourteen alleged Do leir chuir I gc6ir 'sa gcrioch. Six . Jred miles to the Mexico border, betrayal, capture and escape. The papers say, he ran away before he met the foe. sympathisers of the extreme right wing Do lefinn gach leir stair dom stor, They cnased us like outlaws, like rustlers like thieves. But that was quite unlike the style of Andy McElroe. group Combat 18, including two soldiers, Lunny's mixed bag 's ba mheinn liom I phogadh om chroi, As I walked over Mulberry mountain, have been arrested... detectives removed Celtic art on show in Northampton Do bhearfainn an chraobh di 'na doid: We died on your hills and we died on your deserts, I met Captain Evans and his money he was counting; One morning, Brave Lord Wolseley for a battle felt live ammunition, racist literature, knives fails to enthrall 's air Eire ni neosainn ce hi. We died in your valleys and died on your plains; I first drew my sword and then drew my rapier, inclined; and computer disks. They are also EXHIBITION SUCCESS Following the success of the library We died neath your trees and we died in your bushes, 'Come stand and deliver, for I'm a bold desaver.' But all could see the general had something on his mind. investigating links between the men and exhibition, the Irish Community Arts Vocabulary Both sides of that river we died just the same Says he, 'My staff, t'were dangerous to face yon deadly Ulster loyalist terrorists organisations." Democrat reporter Derek Humphries reviews Coolfin. Project has been invited by the local Chorus foe, (The Observer) The sky plain caught fire over Los Gatos Canyon, Musha, rigga-do-a-da, Donal l.unnx. Hummingbird Records CI) THE NORTHAMPTON branch of the council to put together a similar Months„of the year: Unless we're sure that quite prepared is Andy McElroe.' Connolly Association and the Irish presentation of celtic arts and crafts at the E;nair (January); Feabhra (February); Like a fireball of lightening it shook all our hills. For there's whisky in the jar. Then Andy cried, 'I'm Here my lord and ready for the Target List - "Brian Nelson (a British and cassette Community Arts Project were recently Northampton Show between 16th and Marta (March); Abran (April); Bealtaine Who are all these friends all scattered like dry leaves? fray', agent) had the role of intelligence officer behind a successful exhibition of Celtic art 18th of July. (May); Meitheamh (June); Iuil (July); The radio says they're just deportees? I put my hand into his pocket, I fetched out fifty Then England, Ireland, Scotland rolled together on the for the UDA. He was given thousands of HAVING COGITATED over the purchase forms featuring the work of local artists. Peter Mulligan can be contacted by e- Lunasa (August); Meanfhomhair guineas, foe, pages of information on republican i! this album on a couple of occasions. I The centre-piece of the exhibition, nuiil at: [email protected]. (September); Deire Fomhair (October); Is this the best way we can grow our big orchards? I put it in my own; wasn't that a purty penny? suspects, much of it emanating from But far ahead of everyone rushed Andy McElroe. "malty decided to 'go for it': firstly. which was held in town's Weston Favell Samhain (November); Nollag Is this the best way we can grow our good fruit? I fetch'd it home to Molly, not thinking she'd deceive security sources, and appears to have been Tecause it is Donal Lunny and, secondly, whilst Marta Sebestyen delivers a unique Library throughout May, were Irish (December). To fall like dry leaves to rot on our top soil me, in a position to guide the UDA's gunmen Irish Community Chorus because of the encouraging praise rendition of Moldavian Triptych. dancing costumes, both traditional and And be known by no name except deportees. But the divil's in the weeman, for they never can be aisy. towards certain targets." (The "eceived from other quarters. accompanied by haunting low-whistle. modern, courtesy of the Rhona Baldry Arts Project Seasons: ' At least, that's what the letter said, that came across the Independent) The album is a mix of traditional and Despite an open mind towards the Academy and Fiona McMahon School of Earach (Spring); 'Samhradh (Summer); © Ludlow Music Inc. I went to Molly's chamber to get a little slumber, foam NB: The Irish police have reopened .ontemporary. featuring many new titles contemporary contributions. I found my Dancing. Fomhair (Autumrrt;- Geimhreadh I laid down on the bed and I began to wonder; To Andy's anxious relatives, awaiting him at home. investigations into the no-warning car penned by Lunny. car tuned in' more easily to the trad- The exhibition also featured stencil (Winter). I had not been lying long before I has awakened, The government despatches had another tale - but no! bombs that caused carnage in Dublin and work by Joy Daniels, work on fabric stone The Sea All ftoundU s The press gang overtook me, and among them Captain We won't believe a word against brave Andy McElroe. Monaghan in May 1974. Some 33 people The musical line-up is mostly tracks. Although Lunny's compositions V traditional plus percussion, b:iss and are undoubtedly clever and well executed and slate by Peter Mulligan, leather and Sayings: Evans. The Mahdi had gone up a tree, a spy glass in his ey e. were killed and three times that number keyboards. Among well-known musicians my appreciation didn't match the obvious glass work by Tony Teevan and variations Ni uabhar uaisleacht: nobility is not pride This song is by Dominic Behan, brother of the To see his Paynim chivalry the northern prowess try : injured — the highest death toll in a single featured on the album are guest player delight and enjoyment shared by others. on celtic designs in pencil by David Ni lui'nn sonas ar amadan: prosperity does playwright. Dominic collected and rearranged a good But Molly she was cunning, she knew what was the But soon he saw a form of dread, and cried in tones of day in 30 years of conflict. There have Sharon Shannon (accordian) and band While it's fair to say that trad-Irish has Nichols. A series of impressive eight-foot not befit a fool few Dublin songs from his childhood memories. He matter, woe, always been claims that the British Army member John McSherry (uillean pipes its elements of predictability, the degree of square celtic-design wall hangings were Is fada cuimhne sean leanbh: the also wrote MacAlpines' Fusiliers My pistols she disloadened and she filled them full of 'Be jabers let me out of this - there's Andy McElroe'. and the RUC facilitated the bombings in and whistles). repetition performed within these also a prominent part of the successful recollection of an old child is long water, Then down he hurried from his hill, and straight away the Irish Republic. Additional guest favourites include contemporary pieces didn't favourably exhibition. Is fearr imreas na uaigneas: strife is better She discharged my pistols that she had filled with water, he ran, The new investigation centres on Maighread and Triona Nt Dhomhnaill. engage my usual level of attention. I'm Organiser Peter Mulligan is currently than being alone They say that the lakes of Killarney are fair, And a prisoner I was taken like a lamb to the slaughter. To keep appointments in, as he said, in distant Kordofan, allegation by John Weir, a former RUC singing False Fly and Siiil a Ruin. Vocalist sure this album will enjoy widespread planning a follow-up and is appealing to Is fearr buanacht na ailneacht: durability is That no stream like the Liffey can ever compare. And fled those Arab soldiery like sand siroccos blow. special branch officer jailed in 1977 for Eddie Reader also makes a welcome appeal, sadly it won't feature in my Celtic artists from all regions to submit better than beauty If its water you want you'll find nothing more rare I stood in the hall when the roll was a-calling, Pursued (with much profanity) by Andy McElroe. the killing of a Catholic grocer. Weir is appearance on Lowlands of Holland. personal top ten favourites. designs. Ni tuisce faighte na caite: no sooner got Than the stuff that they make down by the ocean I stood in the hall will when the turnkey was a-bawling, thought to have alleged that members of An exhibition of than spent The oh the sea, oh the sea is the gradh geal ma croide. And by a metal bar put the sentry down, Chorus the British army and the state-run Ulster Celtic Art Forms at Is beag an ni abhar na h-urcoide it is a Long may it stay between England and me. And that made my escape into Derry town. At least, that's what he told us when returning o'er the Defence Regiment supplied intelligence Macdonald, Louise Mackenzie, David & With: Eliza Carthy Band, Battlefield the Northampton Show little thing (which is the cause of a Its a sure guarantee that some hour we'll be free, foam and explosives.(Socja/is/ Worker) It's festival time... Denise Wilkie, Tony McManus plus Band, Steeleye Span, McNeill, Lynch & Abington Park mishap) Oh Thank God we're surrounded by water. Chorus To greet his anxious relatives, awaiting him at home. Musha, rigga-do-a-da, So sing the song of triumph, and let all your bumpers Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson - AS USUAL, there is plenty of Irish and workshops, outdoor sessions and festival Lupari, Martyn Bennett and Cuillin 16-17-18 July Nd teir nfos sia na do chuimhne: don't go Tom Moore made his 'Waters' meet fame and renown, For there's whisky in the jar. flow, "The Law Society of Northern Ireland has 'Celtic' folk, and not so folk, music to be debate. Information: 01349 830388 Music, Kavana, Waterson/Carthy and Roy sponsored by beyond your means A lover of anything dressed in a crown: And there's mair behind the bar. In honour of our countryman, brave Andrew McElroe. broken with a 30 year-old tradition in found at this summer's festivals. July 10: Finsbury Park Fleadh, London Bailey. (Tickets from £17 per day). Box Northampton Connolly Association Is fusa e a ra na e do dheanamh: it's easier In brandy the bandy old Saxon he'd drown, openly backing calls for an independent So. if your idea of a good time is mingling With: Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Office: 012% 433669 said than done. But throw ne'er a one in the ocean. judicial inquiry into the murders of two with the crowds, enjoying the craic and Shane MacGowan and the Popes. The July 30-August 1: 35th Cambridge Folk Catholic solicitors." (Financial Times) soaking up the sounds (and hopefully not Saw Doctors, Altan, The Barenaked Festival, Cherry Hlnton The Scots have their Whiskey, The Welsh have their NB Three weeks prior to the killing the rain), here's a sample of what's 011 Ladies, Afro-Celt Sound System, Lunasa, With: James Taylor, The Saw Doctors, Join the Four Provinces speech, Douglas Hogg, a Conservative Home offer over the next few months: Dervish, Colin Reid, Brian Kennedy, Eddi Louden Wainwright III, Nick Cave, Altan, Reader, Luka Bloom, Andy White, The Battlefield Band, Dolores & Sean Keane, And the poets are paid about ten pence a week, Office minister at the time, stated that June 25-27: Highland Traditional Music Pretenders, Paddy Casey, Dervish, Ronnie Shooglenifty, Peatbog Faeries, Old Blind Connolly Association Provide no hard words on England they speak, some solicitors "are unduly sympathetic to the cause of the IRA." (Financial Festival, Dingwall, Scotland Drew, plus comedy stage. (Tickets £30). Dogs, Salsa Celtica, Kate Rusby, Eric Oh Lord what a price for devotion Irish bookshop Times and The Independent). With: Hoogie, Fintan Valelly, Andy Box Office: 0171 3440044 Bibb and Danu. (Tickets £I7-£46) The Connolly Association is the oldest Irish campaigning Sir John Harmon, former chief constable Thorburn & Ian Hardie, Cliar, Janice July 30-August 6:45th Sidmouth Information: 01223 457245. Booking organisation in Britain. Membership costs £10 per year; £12 The Danes came to Ireland with nothing to do 244 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8JR of the RUC has recently proclaimed that Clarke, Feis Rois Group, Iain (Toots) International Festival of Folk Arts 01223 357851 for joint membership, (£6 joint unwaged), or £5 for But dream of the plundered old Irish they slew Yeh will in your Vikings' said Brian Born, tel: 0171 833 3022 Pat Finucane was "associated with the individual students, unemployed and pensioners. And threw them back into the ocean IRA." Membership includes a free subscription to the Irish Irish leader, born, 1763 days earlier; Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Anniversary Parade June 24 De Valera outlaws IRA, 1936 playwright and orator, dies London, 1816 Democrat. Two foreign old monarchs in battle did join, For a wide selection of books, music cassettes, cards and Notable dates for June and July June 27 Charles Stewart Pamell, Irish July 11 Act of parliament establishes Each wanting their head on the back of a coin, badges. Last word June 5 Labour leader James Connolly nationalist leader, bom Avondale, Co. Ireland's first public lunatic asylums, 1817 Name If the Irish had sense they'd drown both in the boyne. bom Edinburgh, 1868 Wicklow, 1846 July 14 Frances McCluskey, 70, becomes And partition thrown into the ocean. History, politics and Irish language a speciality ffLET US remember that the Orange June 7 United Irishman Rev. James June 28 John Boyle O'Reilly. Fenian, the first fatality of 'the troubles', 1969 Address Order was not founded to safeguard Coigley hanged, Penneden Heath. poet, writer and newspaper proprietor July 18 Fergus O'Connor, Chartist, born religious freedom, but to deny religious Maidstone, 1798 born Drogheda, 1844; Connaught 1794; outbreak <}f Spanish Civil War, 1936 Postcode _ I Open 11am-4pm, freedom, and that it raised this religious June 10: Frank Ryan, socialist, Rangers mutiny, 1922 July 21 Jim Larkin, Irish labour leader, I Dirty Old Town question, not for the sake of any religion, republican and International Brigader dies July 5 Marx and Engels publish born Liverpool, 1876; Belfast pogroms I/we enclose the membership subscription of £ and a I Tuesday to Saturday but in order to use religious zeal in the interests of the oppressive property rights in a Dresden sanatorium, 1944 Communist Manifesto. 1848, Scotsman begin, 1920 donation of £ towards the CA's campaigning. I Ewan MacCoU's song is played so often in Ireland that of the rack-renting landlords and sweating June 14: Tom Clarke. Fenian, sentenced Keir Hardie elected to Westminster as the July 27 Government White Paper on I Jack Charlton mistakenly chose it as his favourite capitalists, f J to life imprisonment, 1883; Emesto Che first socialist MP, 1892 Home Rule hints at partition, 1916 Return to: CA, 244 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8JR 'Irish song'. It was written in 1946 by Ewan MacColl Mail order and catalogue available on request Guevara born Argentina, I928 July 7 Irish revolutionary Cathal Brugha July 31 Irish Poor Law passed, 1838; for a Workshop production, 'Landscape with James Connolly June 20 Theobald Wolfe Tone. United dies, 1922. from wounds receieved two Conradh na Gaelige founded, 1893 Chimneys', a documentary play about Salford. Irish Worker, 14 March I9I4 imsh Oemcmc Anonn Is Anall: The Peter Berresford Ellis Column Did the ancient Celts exist?

Leading Celticist and regular a subconscious guilt at the imperial past or by the languages amve here'.' Did the ancient Irish and continued belief in the righteousness of England's British conduct correspondence courses in the Democrat columnist Peter 'civilising mission', in which certain English scholars languages with the European Celts and then adopt it? Berresford Ellis questions whether attempt to justify their country's historic role towards Dr James disarmingly admitted that he was not their Celtic neighbours. competent to compare Irish and Wales mythologies, a recent academic assault on the Dr James vehemently denies these motives. He or indeed, other Celtic myths and legends, nor the law retorts that when the Megaws compared such "ethnic systems, such as the Brehon Laws and Laws of existence of the ancient Celts is cleansing" to similar events in the Balkans it "raises simply just another English serious questions over their judgement and sense of proportion". Presumably we are asked to believe that attempt to revise our history Dr James denies the evidence of the 5th- and 6th- The new claims are century massacres and enforced migrations, not to motivated, subliminally ANY READERS have been mention the ethnic cleansing' in Ireland during the astonished bv what appears to he a 16th and 17th centuries. if not consciously, by the press and media campaign telling However, Dr James' main argument is that the them that modern scholarship is term Celtic' should be abandoned when referring to attitudes underlying now arguing that their ancestors in the 'Iron Age' in Britain and Ireland from about 6(H) these islands were not Celts' In BC. He argues: "No one in Britain or Ireland called right-wing English fact, the publicity emanates from a new book. The themselves 'a Celt' before 17(X)." He maintains that AtlanticM Celts: Ancient People or Modern there were no migrations to. nor invasions of, these politics Invention'.' h\ British Museum archaeologist Dr islands by historically attested Celts from the Simon James (British Museum Press. £6.99pbk). continent. I)i James claims that there is no ev idence of the From the inception of Celtic scholarship, the Hywel Dda to see a Celtic commonality, nor was he Celtic peoples in Ireland or Britain during the Iron definition of Celts is a people who speak, or were competent to talk about comparative linguistics. Battle of the books: not for the first time, Peter Age and that the idea of insular Celtic identity is known to have spoken within modem historical times, When I pointed this out to him, he defensively said Berresford Ellis, above, takes issue with an really a product of the rise of nationalism in the 18th one of the languages classified as the Celtic branch of that this lack of knowledge "should not disqualify him academic attempt to liquidate Celtic history, century. He believes that 'Celticness' is a politically Indo-European. from asking awkward questions". That is true. But he this time from archaeologist Simon James dangerous falsification of history which has When these islands emerged into recorded history, is doing more than ask questions; he is making implications on. what he describes, "resurgent becoming known to the Mediterranean world in the assertions with the apparent weight of his academic nationalism" in these islands. T II i A MAN T I v fifth century BC, the peoples living here spoke one or authority behind him. The claims were dumbfounding to the world of another form of a Celtic language - the insular Celtic I am reminded of the case of Professor Barry Fell Celtic scholarship. It is on a parallel with the claim forms Goidelie and Brythonic (now represented by of Harvard University, who caused a sensation with that the Egyptian Pyramids were built by CELTS Irish, Manx and Scottish Gaelic, and Welsh, Cornish the publication of America BC: Ancient Settlers in •jAtraterrcstrial visitors. It is one of the most and Breton). That much is made clear by the names the New World (1976). He Vlainied that the Celts had \NC1F.NT PEOPLE OK extraordinary pieces ot historical revisionism yet recorded in the early references. Was Dr James settled in America between the 8th and 6th century undertaken. But the claims had to be taken seriously MODERN INVENTION' dismissing the Greek and Latin records of place and BC and produced so-called Qgham inscrip ions all rt'c.iiisc i learned archaeologist Has making them. tribal names, the personal names and the Celtic names over the 'New World'. Barrv fell seemed to 1 'isualise In tact, as someone who look his degrees in Celtic recorded on British coinage being issued here long the Celtic languages as somehow fixed in tiiT Cf for he- nudies ami has written several books in this area. I before the Romans came in the Ist century BC? was able, having studied Scottish Gaelic, to gaily had followed the rise of this school of thought for It is a fact that no place names survive anterior to translate these inscriptions. The Celtic spoken by Mime tunc, Dr James was not the first to make such the Celtic place names in these islands. Fell's 8th century BC settlers was. apparently, readily 'x/arre claims. As Julius Caesar commented: "they are called understandable to Scottish Gaelic speakers of today. It started with another English archaeologist at the Celts m their own language". In my book Celtic Empire, I pointed out that some (.'inversus of Sheffield. John Collis, who. in the Dr James' response is that w hile there were Celtic of these 8th and 6th century BC inscriptions curiously mils, expressed himself dissatisfied with using the speaking peoples here in the Iron Age they were not contained Latin loan words v ia Old Irish that could term Celtic to describe the Iron Age period in these necessarily Celts But Celtic is and always has been a not have been introduced into the language prior to dands. When in March. 1997, the renowned Celtic linguistic term, not a biological one. To talk of the 5th and 6th centuries AD. biological attributes becomes very dangerous and to Professor Fell also seemed to have the weight of use it as some meaningful label to identify a people aeademia behind him. On closer examination, it Dr James claims that SIM ON* I A M 1. borders on racism. emerged that he was a professor of /.oology, not Celtic- studies. there is no evidence of What is sad with the emergence of the 'Celts Do was only able to deal with one semantic point. At the HAVE OFTEN pointed out that the descriptions Not Exist' revisionist school of English archaeology the Celtic peoples in time, 1 did not realise that Dr James was about to employed by classical writers to describe the is that 1 have long argued, from the Celticist bring out an entire book on his theory. 'typical Celt', range so widely, that it is clear that viewpoint, that we need more cross-discipline studies Ireland or Britain during When it was published, The Scotsman invited me the Celts, like all other European peoples, were a with archaeologists on the ancient Celtic world. to exchange a series of letters debating the points with mixture of several 'racial groups'. Professor Particular so in English areas where, from the first, the Dr James to be published as a feature. This appeared MaIx Muller in the 19th century pointed out that those Celtic periods have been variously described by the Iron Age in the 27 March issue. BBC Radio 3 then invited Dr who speak of race to define a cultural grouping, and archaeologists as Iron Age or Romano-British. It now James and me too 'slug it out' on the airwaves. Sadly, commit themselves to anatomical characteristics, are seems that archaeology stands in more need than ever art specialists. Ruth and Vincent Megaw, published a the programmers were not concerned by serious as great a sinners as those who would speak of a from the input of knowledge from their Celticist paper, Ancient Celts and modern ethnicity in argument and changed the format without consulting dolichocephalic dictionary or a brachycephalic colleagues than vice versa. Antiquity, Collis replied a year later with a stinging us, bringing in some strange esoteric contributors who grammar. Dr James has written to me: "I am being attack calling their definition of Celtic society "both had no concept of our debating points. No Celticist has ever defined the Celtic peoples by deliberately polemical... and creating an antithesis to false and dangerous". anything other than the linguistic criteria. This the 'standard' model, which is ultimately based on A few months later, in the summer 1997 issue of linguistic definition was first propounded by George linguistic hypotheses, and a chronology founded on the British Museum Magazine, Dr James entered the O WHAT is going on and should we be as Buchanan in the 16th century. But evidence of an discredited early archaeological findings. It is fray in support of Collis. Like St Paul, Dr James worried by it as by the rise of revision in awareness of a commonality among the Celtic- intended to draw attention to the real discrepancies seems to have seen a blinding light on the road to Irish historiography? 1 believe the answer peoples, of a shared religious system, of a shared between the ideas of your field and mine. My long- Damascus for, in 1993, he had published a work is - yes, we should. Like Ruth and Vincent mythology, law and social system, appears in the term hope is that this will help to precipitate genuine entitled Exploring the World of the Celts. Now, he Megaw, I am led to believe that the rise of co-operative work to seek synthesis." claims, the world he had explored had not existed. Dr Sthe 'Celts did not exist' school, which clearly As it stands, this is a laudable aim. But the leading James, who seems very good at obtaining publicity, emanates from a tiny group of English archaeologists, 'Celtic' is and always has experts in Dr James' field do not share the view that even made the front page of the Financial Times is an attempt to deny the authenticity of the modem there are such discrepancies. Ireland's foremost (Weekend Section, 14/15 June) with the blazing Celtic world by denying tlvir past. been a linguistic term, archaeological authority on the Iron Age in Ireland, headline 'The Celts it was all just a myth'. The Megaws, who aiv Australian and can Professor Barry Raftery of University College Not content that he had made his point, in the therefore claim neutrality in the debate, have argued not a biological one Dublin, and Professor Barry Cunliffe, the leading March 1998 issue of Antiquity, he launched a new that the individuals concerned are motivated by their archaeological expert on Britain's Iron Age, have both attack on the Megaws who had pointed out that these own attempts to justify England's imperial role in dismissed the anti-Celtic revisionists. ideas, emanating from a small band of English destroying Celtic society, commencing with the 'Iron Age' and has continued ever since. Because Perhaps we may take Dr James 'good intentions' archaeologists, appeared to be an English nationalist 'ethnic cleansing' which drove the Celtic populations someone in Britain was more likely to introduce at face value. However, his book is more concerned reaction derived from insecurity about modern from southern Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries themselves by their tribal name than by the term with decrying modern Celtic nationalism than English identity. when the ancestors of the English first began to arrive. 'Briton' or 'Celtic', does not make themselves any the debating points of historical and archaeological I.ike most Celticists, I was of the opinion that if The Megaws have argued that the new claims are less part of a culture they shared with others speaking discrepancy. I have an uncomfortable feeling of d6ja we ignored the absurdity, it would go away. However, motivated, subliminally if not consciously, by the the same language. vu - are we seeing a similar agenda to that pursued by it did not. The Independent (London) asked me to attitudes underlying right-wing English politics. I And if there were no migrations or invasions of the neo-colonial school ('revisionism') of Irish write a briet rebuttal in the January 5, 1999, issue. I would add, motivated also by the attitude, either from continental Celts to these islands, how did Celtic historiography a few years ago?