IRISH ISSN 0790-7672 November 2005 Dev Neutral Against Who? Northern Dail Representation POLITICAL The IRA Connections The Sean Garland Case Volume 20 No 11 REVIEW No Irish Need Apply? (Back page: Labour Comment) Incorporating Volume 19 Number 11 The Northern Star Workers' Weekly ISSN 0954-5891 Contents: See Page Two

Politics Shadow Of Of One Gunman Or Another . Exclusion Garret FitzGerald drove the Ulster Protestants crazy in 1985 when, in furtherance of Fine Gael is currently having an the sovereignty claim of the unamended Articles 2 & 3 of the Irish Constitution, he identity crisis. achieved a role for the Irish State in the governing of the Six Counties, which were part of the British State. Ulster Unionists were shocked out of their communal routines. We It may be simply the usual old septa- availed of their disrupted condition to implant amongst them the knowledge that they generian end-of-life crisis we’ve all seen were politically disconnected from the British state to which they professed loyalty. We our grandparents go through, embarras- urged them to demand incorporation into the democratic political life of that state as a sing us by claiming in their young days to means of overcoming the rigorous communal, or sectarian, division which was an have scoured Dublin with the Squad, blast- inevitable consequence of the ‘Northern Ireland State’. ing British officers and their wives as they lay abed all unbeknownst to blessed lady We had been advocating this remedy for more than ten years before that, but it was pity and hell slap it into them. only after Dr. FitzGerald traumatised the Ulster Protestants in 1985 that we got a hearing. Well, whatever the reason, those And when we did get a hearing, and a movement for the democratisation of the Six masters of prudence and rectitude, long Counties within the political life of the British state got under way, Dr. FitzGerald was the champions of deference and decorum, very angry. We were subjected to close scrutiny and harassment by his Special Branch dull grey upholders of lore and ordure as as well as by the Special Branch of the RUC. An apparatus supposedly intended for use ever we’ve known them, are busily re- against terrorists was used against us, who were the ultimate constitutionalists. inventing themselves as dashing despera- dos, romantic revolutionaries, the gallant The 26 Counties, in our experience, came closer to being a police state during the year men who roamed the glen and rode with following the signing of the 1985 Agreement than at any other time during the past forty Michael Collins. It’s all a bit disconcerting. years. And it was thanks to Charles Haughey’s refusal (as leader of the Opposition) to go along with it that Dr. FitzGerald’s authoritarian inclinations were curbed. Myself I put it down to the pernicious continued on page 2 influence of a bunch of dangerous radicals styling themselves the Collins 22 Society, whose Mission Statement is as follows: The Mission of the Collins 22 Society is: Lest we forget . . . To perpetuate the name of Michael Collins: To honour his ultimate sacrifice: On the first To aspire to his life principles: Remembrance Day To actively campaign for the erection Irish elected by the State of his statue in the representatives courtyard of Leinster house by 2022 (the centenary of his death): were arrested and To be non-denominational and non- imprisoned sectarian: To abide by the Constitution of Ireland: see page 3 To ally itself politically to Fine Gael (United Ireland) Party: To extend the influence of Michael Collins by promoting an interest in continued on page 7 the sovereign authority in the area. C O N T E N T S Page Partition remained the only issue in Politics Of Exclusion. Editorial 1 Northern elections because it was deliberately arranged that it should be so. Shadow Of One Gunman Or Another. Joe Keenan 1 The arrangements made for the Six Arrest Of Members Of First Dail On Armistice Day. Brian Murphy (report) 1,3 Counties in 1921 had nothing whatever to General O'Duffy And Friends. (Report of photograph) 9 do with the provision of good government. So-called elections there have never been Shorts from the Long Fellow (Free Enterprise In Iraq; Health Debate; Labour Will anything but referendums on whether the Wait; More On Due Process; O B E; The White Nigger . . . Again; A Real Editor) 10 region should be part of the British state or Bertie's Easter Parade. David Alvey 11 the Irish state. They were unconnected with the governing of the state, which is Who Was De Valera Neutral Against? Edward Spalton 12 what democracy is about. It might be said The Propaganda That Never Sleeps. Brendan Clifford (response) 14 that voting on which state the region should The IRA Connections. Conor Lynch 19 belong to was democratic in a secondary sense. But democracy in the proper sense Sean Garland And Questions For Mickey McDowell. Sean Swan 20 has to do with the governing of a state. In Ahern's Modest Proposal. Joe Keenan 21 the British state that is done through the Barry's Column. (Tom Barry; Father Reid) 23 operation of the two-party system, with one party as the Government and the other Japan And Pearl Harbour. Robert Burrage (letter) 24 as a Government-in-waiting, and other parties marginalised. The party-system Labour Comment, edited by Pat Maloney: of the state excluded Northern Ireland No Irish Need Apply? from its operations. Voting in the Six Trade Unions Against Partnership Counties was therefore disconnected from Dublin Trade Union Demonstration the actual democracy of the state. It is a Dr. FitzGerald has now written a but came to identify primarily—one virtual certainty that large numbers of reflective article on the Northern problem might say almost exclusively—with our Catholics in the North would have (Irish Times, 15 Oct) in which he attributes new State.” participated in the democracy of the state if it had been open to them to do so, and the feeling of the Northern majority that it It would be too harsh to say that paradox would as a result have found themselves was a threatened minority to the higher is the last refuge of a scoundrel. But there acting politically with Protestants. nationalist birthrate combined with are few authentic paradoxes in the world. “Southern irredentism”. The combined Most paradoxes do not arise from inherent But electoral activity in the North had pressures of Catholic fertility within, and difficulties in thought but from evasion of nothing to do with governing the state. the Dublin claims from without, led to thought. We have just now the paradox Elections were only convoluted “carefully disguised political and that established commentators who praised referendums on the question of whether economic discrimination against the Peter Hart’s truly dreadful book on the the region should belong to the British Northern minority”. Meanwhile the 26 IRA in Cork five years ago are denouncing state or the Irish. They were referendums Counties developed itself as a state in his very much better book on Michael conducted as elections. And, in order to accordance with its predominant culture. Collins. But that paradox is no more than remain within the British state in semi- It did not hold itself in abeyance lest, by an expression of mindlessness. Hart, for detached form, Unionists had to secure shaping itself as a state and allowing itself all the adulation of asinine critics in high ‘party’ majorities within the devolved to develop, it should deepen its differences places, was made to understand, by system. Devolved governments were with the Ulster Unionists. Thus— authentic criticism in publications elected, but government policy played “From these events a deeply paradox- associated with this magazine, that his ical situation emerged. First, on the little or no part in the voting. And the initial vision would not play. So he Protestant Unionist side, their artificial conducting of referendums in the form of regrouped and produced a much better electoral majority within the six-county the election of devolved governments book, and is condemned for it by a critical area never translated itself into a ensured that both Protestants and Catholics acumen which is of a kind with that which psychological sense of being actually a remained cohesive communal blocs. majority.” praised his first book. We are here in the And realm of fashion, not of thought. Catholics would have taken part in the “the Protestant unionist community democracy of the state if it had been open could never lose a sense of being a Dr. FitzGerald’s head is not as empty to them to do so. If simple referendums threatened minority on the island of as the heads of these ‘critics’. But he had been held on whether to retain a Ireland. In that key respect, and at the constructs his paradox by averting his subordinate attachment to the British state deepest level—that of fear—unionists mind from a fundamental fact of the or transfer to the Irish state, it is probable in Northern Ireland continued to think in situation which is politically unacceptable that at various times quite a few of them all-Ireland terms. In sharp contrast, the to him—that the preconditions of demo- would have voted for the former. But, in nationalist people of the rest of the the convoluted referendums in which a island… rapidly became deeply involved cratic political life were deliberately and in the construction of their new State… calculatingly withheld from the Six vote to remain attached to Britain could Within a very short period, we in this Counties when they were constituted into only take the form of a vote for the Ulster part of Ireland, for practical purposes, ‘the Northern Ireland State’ by the British Unionist Party (the communal party of the ceased to think of the island as our home, Government, which never ceased to be Protestants with the Orange Order at its 2 core) only a minuscule number of Catho- lics could be expected to vote for the · Biteback · Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback British connection. Partition, therefore, could never be taken for granted and political life be Arrest Of Members Of First Dail On Armistice Day conducted with regard to the governing of As Brian Murphy points out, on the first Remembrance Day in 1919, Irish elected the existing state. And Catholics could representatives were carried off to jail. A letter pointing this out sent to the Irish Times only vote against Partition, because they of 24th November 2003, but was not published. It remains as relevant as ever and is would otherwise be voting for their own reproduced below. humiliation. I note from the Irishman’s Diary of Friday 21 November that Kevin Myers has sunk We assume that Dr. FitzGerald is to a new low. From criticising Irish republicans for their opposition to commemorating familiar with this view of the matter. the dead of the two World Wars, he now criticises two contributors to your letter’s page Although it was never allowed expression who, while prepared to commemorate the war dead, were not prepared to do so with the in the Irish Times, it forced its way into the same total sympathy for the actions of the British Army in Ireland as himself. Your two Northern media during the years after contributors were quite prepared to go down the path of forgiveness and reconciliation, 1985 when he was Taoiseach, and he took the basis of all community commemoration, but that was not enough for Kevin Myers. the trouble to harass those within his He wanted them to forget what the British Army had done in Ireland and to rejoice with jurisdiction who were advocating it. (We him that the British Army had prevented the creation of a united Irish republic during the have no reason to suppose that his Special war years of 1919-1921. He also suggested that they should exult with him in the Branch was acting without his authority.) victories of the British Army in Iraq during the same period. Kevin Myers directs our attention to the heroic actions of the British Army in Iraq and It is a view which neither he nor as that country has a present relevance, we will do so. It should, in passing, be noted that anybody else has ever attempted to refute. the boundaries of the state of Iraq were drawn up by the British government in 1921 to In our experience everybody who applied serve British interests, including those of the oil industry. The British Army had a major his mind to the matter has had to agree that role in acquiring and sustaining the territory that became known as Iraq and, in so doing, ‘Northern Ireland’ was an ingenious they used mustard gas against the Shia rebels who opposed them. In 1922 the Royal Air system of perverse government—and that Force force was encouraged by Winston Churchill to use the same methods against includes people who subsequently became Kurdish rebels because they had had an ‘excellent moral effect’ when used earlier. Is this British Cabinet Ministers, after being given the policy of the British Army with which Kevin Myers wishes us to empathise? to understand by discreet pressure from In Ireland, itself, consideration of what happened in Dublin on 11 November 1919, the corridors of power that their careers the first anniversary of Armistice Day, offers another perspective on the British Army would be cut short unless they let the and provides no little insight into republican attitudes towards the commemoration of matter drop. that Day. Erskine Childers, who had served in the RAF during the War, recorded that The Unionists could never feel secure ‘on 11 November, the morning upon which two minutes silence had been ordained to because they were placed in a situation in commemorate “the divine blessing of peace,” the police and military carried out an armed which Partition was the only possible issue raid upon the Dail’s offices and arrested every male person upon the premises in electoral politics, and voting with regard indiscriminately and without warrant.’ Here we have the crux of the problem: while asking the people of Ireland to to Partition was conducted in a way that commemorate peace, the British Army and the British administration in Ireland, under kept Catholics together as a cohesive Anti- the direction of Lord French, Viscount of Ypres, were waging war against the Partitionist bloc. A permanent minority, democratic institutions of the country. Is it any wonder that the Irish people should beginning as a third and rising, would be associate Ypres and the British Army with repression rather than liberation? And yet, much too large to allow for stability even when Irish republicans announce that they will forgive past wrongs and join in in a state—and Northern Ireland was a commemorations, Kevin Myers asserts that more is required. Certainly his reputation flimsy construction that was never a state as the man who has done more than any other person to make it difficult for the many and was incapable of becoming one. traditions in Ireland to come together in commemorating the war dead is assured. “Southern irredentism” was not the Brian P. Murphy osb influence chiefly responsible for keeping the Northern Catholic community Agreement of 1985 which Dr. FitzGerald that had been made of the irredenta alienated from the state in the North. It wrung from Mrs. Thatcher. And he was claimed by Dr. FitzGerald. But, if we are was the Northern state itself which did also centrally involved in the third major to follow Dr. FitzGerald’s use of the term, that—the British state in the perverse form irredentist event—the funny business over it must be said that he himself and Jack which it chose to assume in the North. sovereignty that surrounded the Lynch were the two most active irredentists But, insofar as “Southern irredentism” Sunningdale Agreement in 1973 and led in the conduct of the Irish state during the added to the inherently unstable condition to the Unionist General Strike (or past forty years. It was they who did most of the North, the most disruptive “Constitutional Stoppage”) of May 1974. to stir things up. And they did so in a fine disregard of the social and political realities “irredentists” were Jack Lynch and Dr. In 1985 it was John Hume who gave of the Northern situation, without any FitzGerald himself. Lynch poured fuel on the sharpest expression to Dr. FitzGerald’s semblance of a practical policy to harness the flames in August 1969 with his speech project when he spoke of ripening the the energies which they provoked, and about not standing idly by. And the next Unionist boil in order to lance it. But they were then reduced to moral irredentist event in order of importance Hume could not be an irredentist—or could exhortation and moral condemnation of with regard to the Unionist feeling of he? He was not claiming any territory. He the consequences. being under siege was the Hillsborough was coping as best he could with the mess 3 By contrast with them, Charles bined extreme nationalism with the radical Force Cannot Solve Problems Of Divided Haughey, the man of the “flawed pedig- socialism which he had preached hitherto Society . Fianna Fail’s intellectual is slowly ree” (as Dr. FitzGerald put it) was only a and thus laid the basis for Fascism. and painfully coming to terms with the token irredentist who kept a certain ideal fact that he cannot make his stand on the alive but knew better than to poke at the Within the irredenta—the Trentino and ground set out by his father, the influential Northern situation as they did. the Alto Adige—the majority spoke Italian British academic-cum-adminstrator, and the minority German, but there was Nicholas Mansergh: But is it sensible to apply the term extensive participation by all in the “Sinn Fein points out that terrible and irredentist to this matter at all? political life of the Hapsburg state. One of indefensible things happened in the War The greatest irredentism in which the leading politicians of the region was of Independence. The difference lies in nationalist Ireland was ever involved was Alcide de Gasperi, who took part as a the overall legitimacy of that earlier the First World War, which is celebrated Christian Democrat in the political life of struggle”. on Poppy Day. The French state laid the Hapsburg state, and did not support He does not indicate what “indefen- claim to a piece of the German state, the irredentist claim made by the Italian sible things” were done (on the Irish side) Alsace-Lorraine, and made war on Ger- state. When the Trentino was incorporated in the War of Independence. If the in- many to gain it. Redmondite Ireland into the Italian state in 1919 he distanced defensible thing was not the War itself, it supported that claim and supported the himself from Fascism. And after 1945 he is hard to see what else was indefensible. war. And then Redmondite Ireland emerged as one of the founders of what War is war, as supporters of the war on encouraged a second irredentist claim in became the European Union, his moral Iraq like to say when civilian casualties the Spring of 1915 in order to bring Italy position being founded on rejection of the are mentioned. into the War. And the following year an irredentism of 1914. The “overall legitimacy” of 1919-21 attempt was made to draw Greece into the is presumably supplied by the election war by encouraging it to make an The ‘Northern Ireland’ situation is in result, which the British Parliament chose irredentist claim on Turkish Asia Minor, no way comparable to that of the Alsace or to ignore. But what de-legitimises the which had been part of the Greek system the Trentino, both of which were stable insurrection in the North by the very large thousands of years earlier. (The Greek and well-governed parts of the demo- minority deprived of democratic outlets Government rejected the offer, but was cracies of their respective States, and and subjected to a kind of harassing overthrown by a British invasion, and a neither of which had the long continuity communal control which has nothing in puppet Government declared war, but as a historic territory that was the case in common with democratic government? came to grief when it tried to occupy the Ireland. Neither the Norman Conquest territory that Britain had awarded it.) nor the subsequent conquests by Elizabeth, A few months ago Mansergh wrote Cromwell and William, treated the country something which we understood to say Without the French irredentist claim as anything other than the Kingdom of that only the Dublin Government had the to Alsace-Lorraine there would have been Ireland. It was always governed as a right to declare war anywhere in Ireland. no European War in 1914, and without the distinct political entity under the Crown— But surely that is an expression of the European War there would have been no formally so until 1800, and actually so irredentist claim which Dr. Fitzgerald now World War. thereafter, whatever notional theoretical deplores? arguments may be deployed in connection Alsace was a region acquired by France with the Parliamentary Union. in the 18th century and lost as a conse- In any event, the Dublin Government quence of its aggression against Germany The constitutional unity of the island backed down in a confrontation with the in 1870. In 1914 it was a settled part of the was not questioned until 1914 and was not British Government in the Spring of 1970, federal German state with extensive Home actually tampered with until 1920. And, and launched prosecutions against various Rule. The population was of divided when it was tampered with, the thing was people for things which they had done nationality, but predominantly German done in a way that gave rise to endemic under its authority during the preceding speaking, and with a patois of its own. conflict and chronic instability, the main six months. And by that measure it for- causes of which did not lie in any claims feited its authority in affairs in the North, An Italian state was set up in the mid- made by another state. whether its claim of authority is regarded 19th century, taking its final form in 1870 as legitimate or mischievous. It left the If one cared to use the word “paradox” in conjunction with the French war on Catholic community in the North to cope as it is used by Dr. FitzGerald, one might Germany. But, according to the doctrine with its predicament on its own. And its say that it was paradoxical that those of of Mazzini—who is cited as an authority predicament was in many ways worse the Redmondite tendency, which by Roy Foster in certain matters—it would than that of the national community as a supported the irredentist conquest of stable not be complete unless it filled out its whole after the 1918 Election, and certainly and well-governed regions of the German historic form, stretching northwards to much worse than that of the 26 County and Hapsburg States in 1914, should now the Alps and eastwards across the Adriatic majority after Partition was enacted in the be complaining of irredentism with regard to the Dalmatian coast of what is now Summer of 1921. Self-government of one to the unstable and atrociously mis- Croatia. Britain supported this irredentist degree or another was then going to be governed segment of the Kingdom of claim for the purpose of drawing the Italian allowed by Britain, even though independ- Ireland that was cut off in 1921 for some state into the war against Austria. There ence would be conceded to nothing but reason that had nothing at all to do with was extensive opposition within the Italian force. And nationalist Ireland as a whole good government. state to this irredentist war. The Catholic had never been excluded from the party- Church opposed it, as did the Socialist Martin Mansergh had an article on the politics of the State. It withdrew itself Party. The leading irredentist warmonger same day (15 Oct) in which he made a case under O’Connell’s leadership from the was Mussolini, who at this juncture com- for physical force under the title, Physical politics by which the state was governed. 4 O’Connell might have developed the the 1918 Election is disregarded as a source ments which till recently all refused to Whig/Liberal Party in Ireland and become of legitimacy. The extreme case was recognise it or participate in its a member of the Government, but he Peter Hart’s The IRA And Its Enemies, institutions” (IT 29.11.05) chose a different course of action. And, written in language reminiscent of the And yet “this Republic” forgot what it although he preached pacifism as an Orange propaganda against the United was heir to until the “paramilitary linked absolute for Irish nationalists, the course Irishmen, and highly praised by almost movement” brought home to it the conse- of development on which he set the country everybody who counts in the institutional quences of forgetting. led to war three generations later. hierarchy. This collapse into West Britishism has As for participating in the institutions He believed in some kind of spirit of led to the re-emergence of the Sinn Fein of “this Republic”, the “paramilitary the age which would disable the British Party in the electoral life of the Republic. linked movement” is eager to do so, but is will to fight the Irish democracy in defence The anti-democratic structure of the excluded. The heartland of this movement of its Irish conquest. The moment of truth North was the cause of the formation of is cut off from the Dail by the Border at the for that belief came in 1919, and it was Provisional Republicanism. Official insistence of all the Official heirs of 1916. found that Britain had not lost the will to Republicanism in all its forms (Fine Gael, This was the case while the old Articles 2 fight to hold a dissident national Fianna Fail, the Labour Party) washed its & 3 were intact and it remains the case democracy within the Empire. But the hands of the North, in the way described after they have been reduced to an aspir- Irish decided not to back down, as they by FitzGerald. But at the same time it was, ation. And, while excluding representation had done under O’Connell’s leadership in in all its forms, implacably hostile to our of Northern parties in the Dail, Fianna Fail 1843. They resisted British government project of democratising the North within (which apparently has resumed its sub- by force. Mansergh says there was an the political structures of the UK. It left title, The Republican Party) continues to ‘overall legitimacy’ in the War of Inde- the Catholic community in the North to its refuse to extend its own operations to the pendence. Where did it come from? Not own devices, with the proviso that it must North: Establishing Fianna Fail in the from the British Parliament. Not from the be denied an outlet into British politics. North could destabilise it [!!!!], split the Versailles Conference. Not from the Then it sat in judgement on the device by nationalist vote, and weaken progress League of Nations. Not from France. Not towards shared goals” (Mansergh 29 which the Northern Catholics coped with from the USA. It came from no external Nov). But, when the “shared goals” are their predicament: Provisional Repub- authority. It was a self-asserted legitimacy achieved and the North is peaceful and licanism. Now this political force, which by Sinn Fein, recognised by no major state contented and ceases to be a problem, then arose in the North because of the default in the world—except Bolshevik Russia, the matter might be reconsidered. Which of Official Republicanism, has crossed which was itself not regarded as legitimate means that things must settle down within the Border and has reminded the Republic by the arbiters of legitimacy, the victorious where it has come from. And, Lo and the UK before the Dail will consider Powers assembled at Versailles. Behold, the military ceremonies commem- opening its doors to elected representatives Sinn Fein’s assertion of its own legiti- orating 1916 are to be restored after thirty- from the North. But the settling down in macy as the Irish Government on the basis five years of a wilful attempt to forget. the North must happen outside the political of the 1918 Election has never been recog- structures of the UK, in a No-man’s-land nised by Britain. When Britain recog- Mansergh defends this revival as if it where the only possible form of politics is nised a governing authority in Ireland in was not a concession to position the conflict of the two communities. 1922 it was not the Sinn Fein Dail but the established by Sinn Fein/IRA in the hope The concluding paragraph of Man- subordinate Parliament of Southern Ire- of warding off its further spread. But the sergh’s 15th November statement is as land provided for by a British Act of tactic is too blatant. (The Taoiseach is follows: Parliament. What Sinn Fein saw as a addressing the Seán Moylan commemorat- “Northern Ireland, which for so long legitimate War of Independence pursuant ion in Kiskeam, Co. Cork, this month. But lacked a proper democratic dispensation, to an electoral mandate was treated by the the date of the event has been pushed back now has one, even if part of it is in British Parliament and Government as a a week to facilitate him. Why did he insist abeyance. [Like the 1914 Home Rule rebellion against legitimate authority. And on that? Because this is the date on which Act?] Its full realisation requires Britain restored order by making a deal Mary Lou MacDonald, Provo MEP, is reasonable confirmation of the with a group of the rebels who were prep- addressing the Tom Barry commemorat- abandonment of physical force. The ared to give up the vain conceit of inde- ion at Kilmichael, about twenty miles future is constitutional.” pendent Irish authority and accept a devol- away, and he wants to take some of the The suggestion that the resort to ution of authority from the English Crown. limelight away from her. It is regrettable physical force by the Catholic community that the organisers of the Moylan event was at the source of the problem is ground- Independence was reasserted in 1932, lent themselves to this manoeuvre.) less, and it reverses the historic order of and the Sinn Fein view of the source of cause and effect. It was the particularity legitimacy was not questioned during the Mansergh: of Northern Ireland that was the problem, next forty years. But, over the past thirty “Virtually all democracies hold and the problem was the cause of the years, the view of the War of Independence commemorative military parades. The sudden and spectacular rise of the physical unionist tradition holds hundreds each as rebellion against legitimate authority force movement in the Winter of 1969-70, has been revived and it now dominates year in memory of the “Glorious Revolution” of 1688, so they can scarcely leading to the declaration of war in, as far academic history. It is what ‘revisionism’ object to commemorating the event as we can recall, the Spring of 1970. is all about. Charles Townsend set it which marked the beginning of the Irish Physical force was a symptom of the going with his British Campaign In Ireland revolution. It cannot be emphasised problem, and the problem survives the 1919-21 (1975). In virtually every history enough that this Republic is the heir of repudiation of physical force. And the issued since then by mainstream publishers 1916, not paramilitary-linked move- problem is that Northern Ireland was not, 5 is not, and cannot be, a democracy— active in the late 1980s in the movement to in which few are willing to relax the because democracy is a mode of governing bring the North within the British pressures that have lasted since the 1840s. a state, and Northern Ireland is not a state Constitution. But he lost patience with Emboldened by the agreement, Northern and it is excluded from the democracy of our approach of building up support within nationalists have strengthened the the state which holds it, and likewise from the British parties in order to force their priority they give to Irish unity as a the democracy of the state which asserted leaders to do what they did not want to do. political aim. In the South the expression of the aspiration to unity is universally sovereignty over it for sixty years but has At the critical moment he was one of those regarded as a birthright. Even Michael recently reduced that assertion to an who undermined the project by shifting it McDowell, greatly esteemed by aspiration. from political ground to legal ground, unionists for his stand against IRA thereby relinquishing the political ground And, while the future may or may not criminality, feels the need to describe that had been established, both in the be peaceful, present arrangements provide himself as a republican who aims to North and in Britain. The division that “make partition history”. no grounds to assume that it will be occurred on that issue was chiefly between “Few nationalists are able to see their constitutional. men of property who believed in the power aspirations as divisive, and none perceive Northern Ireland never formed part of of money to buy politics through the how they feed loyalist paranoia and the British Constitution, as that entity has medium of law, and those of us who were increase the need for the Orange Order been understood by the major writers on making political headway by use of our and others to mark out their territory… “The nationalists need to persuade it. It was an extemporised device externally political wits and our powers of persuasion. the unionists that they present no real associated with the Constitution, con- We argued that the judiciary would not threat to their British identity. At present nected by Union Jackery but excluded usurp the authority of Parliament in this there is little sign that even moderate from what Erskine Mayne (who wrote the matter, and that the Government had an nationalists North or South are willing gospel on the matter) described as the ulterior purpose for Northern Ireland to do that.” “lifeblood of the Constitution”: the system which over-rode considerations of good But how might they do it if they wanted of party politics on which everything else government. But the men of property— to? Dennis Kennedy has an answer. It is depends in real life. the people with a stake in the country, as given in the title of his Irish Times article one of them actually put it—mistook ‘Constitutional nationalism’ is no more on 31st October: Nationalists Must Now money for political acumen. They went to constitutional than Republicanism. Its Abandon Unity Aspiration. And its blurb: law against the Labour Party. After many aims lie outside the Constitution. And “The nationalist goal of Irish unity remains years had passed and much money had that was why the foremost Constitutional a major obstacle to progress in Northern been spent, the Labour Party made an out authority of the time, A.V. Dicey, sup- Ireland”. of court settlement under which it enrolled ported extra-Parliamentary opposition to individuals in Northern Ireland as Kennedy is a member of the exclusive, the 1914 Home Rule Bill: i.e. the Bill was individuals but prohibited them from and exclusively Unionist, think-tank, the carried with the support of the Irish Party political activity. Cadogan Group (along with Professor whose purpose was to remove Ireland Bew, Professor Patterson and Professor from the sphere of operation of the The political movement up over 20 Aughey, as far as we recall). And, although Constitution. years by the activity of David Morrison, he was once the public relations man of Pat Muldowney and others, was dispersed The Good Friday Agreement is not a the European Union in Belfast, he has a by Gudgin and his colleagues, who Constitutional settlement, and it certainly much more narrowly “Ulsterish” focus regressed into the politics of communal has not made Northern Ireland a on the world than Gudgin. antagonism. Gudgin in particular rejected democracy. It is in essence a transitional the suggestion that Whitehall had an He says that the condition of “political arrangement with instability built in. It ulterior purpose for Northern Ireland, and progress” is that nationalism must cease meets the requirements set out by Gerry that its resistance to our project was not to be, and that in return Unionists should Adams twenty years ago as conditions for due to misunderstanding. But it seems bring about a Northern Ireland “which is the operation of a peaceful policy by the that he is no longer sure of this, since he not ‘simply British’”. But Northern Ireland Republican movement. But peace in this writes of “the long deterioration in has never been “simply British”, and that matter means the absence of military unionist confidence in the British is why it has always been a problem. It is activity only. It means the continuation of government” because of concessions to simply not British in all that has to do with war by other means. The conflict of the enemies of the state. “political progress”. communities goes on after the war as it did before war was declared. And it would go He dismisses the view that Republican Kennedy is less able to describe the on even if Sinn Fein dissolved itself and military activity is the problem: situation than Gudgin but is basically in handed the game back to the SDLP. “The deeper reality is that sectarian agreement with him: violence from loyalists will continue for “Northern Ireland has been dragged The Agreement unsettled the Protestant the same reason as it has since the 1840s. back… to the stark tribal hostility of Electoral reform in the early 19th century community more than the war had done nationalism versus unionism; commun- first made Irish nationalism a credible because it was so obviously a transitional ity relations are worse than before the threat to Protestants’ position in the UK. agreement. The long-awaited IRA act arrangement towards something else. This threat has remained ever since and of decommissioning and the announced will get worse as the Catholic proportion Graham Gudgin had an article on this end of its campaign of violence… do not of the electorate creeps towards 50 per change that reality… The IRA act of theme in the Irish Times on 19th Septem- cent in coming decades. As it increases decommissioning is almost irrelevant.” ber. He is described there as “special we can expect communal divisions to adviser to First Minister David Trimble widen. The panoply of cross-community So the obstacle is not the IRA but “the during 1998-2002”, but he is something measures and integrated education will nationalist goal of Irish unity”; and the much more interesting than that. He was count for little… We remain in a world solution is that nationalism should cease 6 to be. But how, within the confines of Whitehall and by Ulster Unionism. a green paper on Irish unity.” “the Northern Ireland state”, might He writes: This is a very cheap debating point nationalism cease to be? “It is a telling admission of weakness indeed. It is not only the 30 years of war Without facing up to the reality that and lack of persuasiveness with that failed to persuade the Unionists, but the structure set up in the North in 1921 unionists, after 30 years of attempted the 50 years of peace during which Dublin preserves communal antagonism as its use of force, that the two governments Governments nominally committed to only normality, Kennedy concedes that are called in by Sinn Fein, the British unity did nothing at all but churn out Government to produce a xxx persuade “Nationalists will not stop being empty rhetoric. nationalists”. But how then can national- the unionists, the Government to produce ism cease to be? Is there to be nationalists as discrete atoms which never combine into a collective nationalism? There must, he says, be “some serious Shadow Of One Gunman Or Another thinking on what constitutes nationalism continued within the circumstances now prevailing his life, his work, his writings, and in dead before Cumann na nGaedheal was in N. Ireland”. But he gives no hint of the ethos he bequeathed to the Irish formed. He didn’t found that party either what he thinks it might be, other than what people, primarily among the youth and it’s a bold man who would lay the sins it is. It is the circumstances prevailing of Ireland. of Cosgrave, O’Higgins, MacNeill and ever since 1921 that have made it impos- Let’s face it; it’s one thing to have Blythe at the door of dead Michael Collins. sible for Northern Catholics (leaving aside murder by the throat, it’s quite another to eccentrics) to be anything other than anti- then kiss it full on the mouth and call it Michael Collins didn’t found Fine Gael Partitionists, Irish nationalists. daddy! and he didn’t found Cumann na nGaedheal. He didn’t found any political party. He led Thee fashionable description of the On October 16th 2004, Mr. Gerry the Irish Republican Brotherhood and, communal antagonism as tribal is some- O’Connell, a man of some property and when it became necessary, he founded thing we have never gone along with. It Vice President of Fine Gael (the Repub- and/or directed a plethora of expropriat- does not arise from a refusal to engage in lican Party?) spoke in historic Kilkenny at ions, a private intelligence network, and a the normal politics of the democratic state, the inaugural Conference of the 22 Society. squad of assassins. but from exclusion from the democratic Said the firebrand to the little sparks, his state by the democratic state. Unionism audience: In 1924 Cumann na nGaedheal crushed accepted that exclusion and operated a “I stand here before you today in the IRB organisation in the Free State make-believe state whose politics consis- Historic Kilkenny, as Vice President of Army which was its last tangible connect- ted of the policing of a 40% community by the Fine Gael party, as we gather to ion with Collins. When Cosgrave and the 60% community. In its traumatised remember, exactly one hundred and O’Higgins ran crying to London in 1925 condition in 1985-7 it considered our fourteen years to his very birthdate, the to have the Boundary Commission Report proposal that it should aspire to be British spiritual founder of Fine Gael and the suppressed any faint intangible trace of father of Irish Democracy, General and to open up the range of British politics Collins’ stance or motion disappeared Michael Collins… to the minority which was approaching entirely. equality. Having considered the proposal, “…aside from an iconic picture on a it rejected it, and it has ever since been wall, Michael Collins’s life, his writings, Really, Collins had no legitimate heirs. the political principles he followed and regressing towards something like He left no detailed political testament. the civilian political tradition his life and (Path To Freedom is a haphazard collect- tribalism. death inspired, is our inheritance in Fine ion of the dashed down spurs of his The Catholic community, though Gael. It’s our standard, it’s the torch that can never be quenched, it’s the dream occasional moments, either no programme ghettoised, refused to tribalise. It remained at all or the germ of a hundred competing political beneath the oppressive apparatus that will never die, and it’s our historic mission to carry on the Politics of Hope, programmes that was cobbled together of the make-believe state. And, when it to rise above the morass and the after his death.) The core principle of his was effectively disowned by the party- blancmange of politics as usual. To political activity in the last year of his life, politics of the Republic, despite the renew hope in public life. A hope that seeking the freedom to achieve freedom, sovereignty claim, it made its own arrange- was first planted in the minds of Modern was spurned by Cosgrave and O’Higgins ments both for war and peace, and it is Ireland by Michael Collins.” and was later adopted by de Valera to now a political presence in its own right inform twenty years of the best work of Grand rousing stuff to be sure. But amongst the Pontius Pilates in the South. Fianna Fáil. let’s be clear now and call things by their Senator Mansergh has come out with proper names. Michael Collins died in Today the closest party to the party an article entitled, Talk Of A United Ireland 1922. Fine Gael wasn’t founded until 1933, Collins maintained and supplied with his Is Legitimate But premature (IT 8.10.05). eleven years after Michael Collins’ death. criminality and murders is the Sinn Féin He cites Kant’s Prolegomena as a prelude Michael Collins was not the founder, and of Adams and McGuinness. to a proposal that talk of a united Ireland he was never the absent centre, of Fine should be put on the long finger. But Gael. One of the groups which came So the leader of Fine Gael went to the anything that goes beyond the attrition of together to form Fine Gael was the Cumann 22 Society last week (October 16th, 2005) communal antagonism must have to do na nGaedheal party and it isn’t ludicrous and invoked Collins’ name to blackguard with entry into the political life of either to suggest that the later party was a the followers of Collins’ clear example, the British or the Irish state—and the continuing successor to the earlier one. using not one word that was not used to British option has been closed off by But Michael Collins was some six months blackguard Collins for the self-same 7 actions in the self-same cause. renamed Army Comrades Association; McKelvey, Woods and McCorley, came an avowedly Fascist movement better from families outside Belfast. The Enda Kenny has this trick, he takes known as the Blueshirts. The blueshirted republican tradition went back generat- murder by the throat and spews hypocrisy fascist leader of the National Guard was ions in some cases (McCorley’s all over it:— Eoin O’Duffy. His movement provided grandfather, Roddy, was hanged in 1798 and is commemorated in a famous “A political party with clear links to all the ideology and most of the ballad). They played Gaelic football and organised criminality, defenders of commitment to the new party so naturally many were language revivalists. Their suspected beneficiaries of the proceeds enough Eoin O’Duffy was the first leader followers were descendants of city bred of such criminality are not inheritors of of Fine Gael. (On 8th October the Irish men, they played soccer and were often the legacy of Griffith or Collins. They Times carried a photograph of a saluting little more than Hibernians with guns” undermine the vision and aspirations of General O’Duffy and his lieutenants, (page 37, Staunton references his 1991 constitutional republicans and corrupt naming amongst them Mayor Alfred interview of Mulvenna). the political process that they previously refused even to recognise. Their attempt O’Byrne but omitting to mention Mr. W.T. Woods, who was second-in-command to wrap the modern manifestation of Cosgrave, as a reader subsequently pointed to Joe McKelvey (until McKelvey went Sinn Fein around the hundredth anniver- out. See page 9.) South for the Army Convention of March sary of the founding of the original Sinn This is a be-kind-to-Enda-Kenny issue 1922 and failed to return to face calls for Fein Party is a tortured exercise in of the Irish Political Review so we’ve his resignation in respect of a degree of collective delusion. incompetence, and Woods was elected “Instead of the idealism of Collins we sworn off embarrassing him with more have the destructive and corrosive effect than the minimum necessary about his OC in his place) wrote to GHQ: of modern day Sinn Fein. Collins once party’s fascist origins. We’ve done that “Prior to the signing of the Truce in said: ‘The real riches of the Irish nation now and Enda Kenny can relax. It’s time July 1921, the percentage of the Catholic will be the men and women of the Irish to talk about the founder and first leader of population in the division that was in nation, the extent to which they are Fine Gael: his early days in the IRA of sympathy with the IRA was roughly rich...rich in body, mind and character. Collins and Mulcahy; his time along the 25%. Taking into consideration the proportion of the Catholic population to What we want is the opportunity for border and in Belfast, his speeches on the everyone to be able to produce sufficient the whole our support in the division Truce and the Treaty in which he would have been something less than wealth to ensure these advantages for memorialised his border days and his time themselves’. 10% of the entire civilian population” in Belfast “Today’s Sinn Fein merely offers (quoted in Staunton, ibid, page 37). outdated and discredited policies and an For reasons which are not entirely clear During the Truce 75% of the 1000- approach to politics that only serves as a (perhaps to demonstrate to the recently strong Belfast Brigade was unemployed; warning to the present generation of the created and opened Government and broke and demoralised. The Antrim and risks associated with a flirtation with a Parliament of Northern Ireland, if perhaps Party that shares nothing but the wording East Down Brigades were so poorly they didn’t already know, where all the of the Party founded by Griffith and organised that the only Belfast ASU ever real power bar a little of the pomp and none of the true Republican idealism of formed was sent to fight in Cavan. Collins. The continued ambiguity about some of the perks of it resided) the Truce, FF support for Sinn Fein must be a which came into force a few hours before Facing these five IRA divisions were continuing source of concern, especially the bonfires were lit on the eleventh night over 1,000 police, some 3,000 British among the business community. of 1921, was unexpectedly applied to the troops and 43,000 very well armed men of “If today’s Sinn Fein wants to be area around the bonfires. For some months the old UVF, now formed into the Ulster fully accepted as an exclusively demo- the Northern divisions of the IRA were Special Constabulary. When it came to a cratic Party then all links with criminality legitimised and Eoin O’Duffy was sent to stand-up fight in the Spring and Summer have to be severed. In addition, the Party Belfast as Truce Liaison Officer for Ulster, of 1922, which, facing Southern politics should have no problem, if it is truly with an office in St. Mary’s Hall. and Northern pogroms, the Northern IRA democratic, in assisting the authorities could not avoid, it was wiped out. in the recovery of the proceeds of crimin- As briefly as I can summarise it, the ality wherever it has information that position of the IRA in the province of Woods’ explanation of the comprehen- can help in such a process.” Ulster at the time of the Truce was as sive nature of his Division’s defeat is follows. It had 8,500 volunteers organised revealing in so many ways it just has to be Just to pay Enda Kenny back for in 5 divisions, the most effective of which quoted as fully as I have it from Staunton: inflicting those most noxious of his bodily was Frank Aiken’s 4th division covering “There is a feeling among the civilian fluids on us innocent passers-by, let’s Armagh, South Down and North Louth. population we are not recognised by maybe share a word or two about the man From March 1921 until the Truce in July who really did found Fine Gael. The man GHQ and that our orders come from the the 2nd Northern Division, covering executive. Most of the priests are under who was Fine Gael’s first leader. Its real County Tyrone and part of Derry, was founder. Its real first leader. Eoin O’Duffy. the impression also and some of them in commanded by Eoin O’Duffy. The Belfast fact have said from the pulpit they will Fine Gael was formed in 1933 by a Brigade was one of three (along with the not give absolution to anyone who is a joining together of three like-minded Antrim and East Down Brigades) which member of the secret military groups: Cumann na nGaedheal, the comprised the 3rd Northern Division. organisation. They have refused to hear National Centre Party and the National Fianna Boys’ confessions. The people Guard. Cumann na nGaedheal we know. Enda Staunton, in The Nationalists Of who supported us feel they have been abandoned by Dáil Éireann, that the The National Centre Party was Frank Northern Ireland, 1918-1973, records the fight was no longer a national one in veteran Jack Mulvenna’s opinion of the McDermott and James Dillon and a scrum common with all Ireland. They feel all of disgruntled Farmers and Ratepayers. Belfast Brigade: the suffering is in vain and they cannot The National Guard was the recently “The officers in the Brigade, see any hope for the future. The people 8 who did not support us are only too glad ment lies, whether on ours or the enemy’s Dáil that the IRA in Belfast had the men of the opportunity of assisting the enemy side, how far we can carry on with and the guns to seize the city and hold it and practically all over the Division honour as regards Ulster. The Deputy for Ireland. And as for those cowardly police barracks are stormed with letters for Monaghan referred to the Partition Orangemen, I mean really! giving all available information against Act but certain parts of Cavan and certain the IRA and their supporters. We have parts of Donegal would come under the Enda Kenny and Fine Gael are desper- captured such letters and in most cases next boundary. We in Monaghan have ate to find themselves a respectable suggestions have been made to the police been able to deal with the enemy there republican heritage. Like Michael as to how best they could cope with the without very many arms. I think Comdt. MacDowell they want to pass themselves situation. In some cases, they regret they McKeon will speak for Cavan and I as “real republicans”; not thugs and did not give this information years ago” think so far as Donegal is concerned hooligans like Adams and McGuinness, (to GHQ I assume, 1st June 1922, quoted there are several Teachta’ from it here but republicans of prudence and rectitude Staunton, ibid, page 67). who will speak, but I do say that taking who wouldn’t say boo to a bank clerk. But up the five Northern divisions including Now here is the founder and first leader County Louth of these counties—and Enda Kenny clearly doesn’t have a of Fine Gael, Eoin O’Duffy, who had some of the Teachta’ from those areas grandfather of the stature of even the hero commanded the 2nd Northern Division can contradict me if I am not correct. As of the Boundary Commission. Their and had been in Belfast during the Truce; regards the Six Counties we have done founder and original leader, the fascist this, in its entirety, is Eoin O’Duffy’s pretty well in the past against the Orange- buffoon O’Duffy, can’t cut the mustard as speech to the Dáil on 22nd August 1921: men with the equipment we had but we they require the mustard cut. Hence their did feel that the enemy were better “DEPUTY O’DUFFY stated that he claim on Michael Collins. But that claim equipped than we were. If they were not did not agree with the statement made is tenuous in the extreme and can really better equipped we would not have to that Ulster wished to be left alone; only be sustained by way of Collins’ fight against these people because they England said so, but as far as they in chosen successor (who didn’t actually are cowards but we made damn good Ulster were concerned they thought force succeed him) and that was the fascist use of the material we had. As regards should be used against Ulster. There other parts of Ireland…” buffoon. Strange how vicious some circles were sufficient Volunteers in Belfast to can sometimes be! hold it for Ireland. The Ulster people had Before the Treaty debates were con- very little force themselves if unaided cluded on January 10th 1922 O’Duffy A better way to proceed would be to by British armed forces. So far as Ulster succeeded Mulcahy as IRA Chief of Staff damn the past to its own devices and was concerned they could not meet them and remained as such until the Army split. become the real republicans of the here by concession. He had dealt with them In the reorganisation of 12th July he was, and now. A good beginning to that noble by force in Monaghan, Fermanagh and with Collins and Mulcahy, one of the War work would be simply to really Tyrone, and those people were now Council of Three. Which is only to say republicanise in a most modern fashion silent. There was no Ulster question so that he was at and about the head of their stance on Northern speaking rights far as Ulster was concerned. They in the Dáil. One wee speech from Enda realised they could not exist without the military affairs while the Free State was welcoming Sinn Féin and the SDLP and rest of Ireland.” (in collusion with Lynch and the anti- Treaty forces) arming the Northern IRA. looking forward to the Unionists joining And here is the founder and first leader At the end of all that rearming the, now them in double quick time and the past of Fine Gael speaking in the Dáil on 17th 800, men of the Belfast Brigade had this seventy-two years would be as if they had December 1921 during the Treaty Debates: not very impressive arsenal: never…Eoin O’what now? Never heard “I agree with the Minister of Defence “…181 rifles with 11,000 rounds of of it. that since the Truce there has been an ammunition, 308 service revolvers with On Mature Reflection I think that’s the improvement in the members and discip- 7,400 rounds and 5 Thompson guns course the Irish Political Review would line of the men and that they are a little with 1,220 rounds” (Staunton, ibid, p 66). recommend to Mr Kenny. Go on Enda, try better in the way of equipment. We certainly have improved but we have to Which is more than they had in August it. consider where the balance of improve- ’21 when O’Duffy was boasting to the Joe Keenan

General O'Duffy And Friends This is part of a larger photograph which appeared in The Irish Times on 8th October. The caption identified Mayor Alfred Byrnes, standing to the right of General O'Duffy. It did not mention Mr. W.T. Cosgrave, who was standing just behind O'Duffy on the right. It was left to a reader (Gerry Murphy, 18th October) to point out the omission.

9 facilities. have very definite rights in relation to the Why do people buy private health Gardai. insurance? It is because they are worried The Irish will be required to keep Shorts about the public service. The poorer the confidential all information indicating that public service, the greater will be the a request has been made or responded to from demand for private health provision. (Article 5). So the suspect will not know the Long Fellow Harney, by subsidising private health, is who is doing the investigation. creating a vested interest in poor public If the suspect exercises his right of services. silence, “the testimony of evidence shall FREE ENTERPRISE IN IRAQ nonetheless be taken…” (Article 8, Articles on the Aljazeera and BBC Paragraph 4). How can silence be LABOUR WILL WAIT web sites (19.9.05) indicate that over 1 Under Pat Rabbitte the Labour Party “testimony of evidence” unless silence billion dollars has disappeared from the has gone out of its way to show that it is itself is considered evidence and can be Iraqi defence budget. “It is possibly one of really no different politically from Fianna used against the suspect? the largest thefts in history”, the Iraqi Fail or Fine Gael. Members, such as Declan Finance Minister Ali Allawi is quoted as Bree, who disagree with the new line, are O B E saying. dealt with before a “complaints com- Irish journalist Aidan Hennigan Apparently, officials in the defence mittee” and the dissidents can read about received an OBE recently. The ex Irish ministry, possibly with the aid of rogue the charges in The Irish Times. Press reporter was one of the four elements within the US military and The Fine Gael/Labour “alternative” is journalists who failed to discover, or failed intelligence, have siphoned off this huge claiming to offer a more competent govern- to report, the notorious “white nigger” amount of money abroad by spurious arms ment and a new set of faces. It has made a letter when it was released by the British transactions. The report says: virtue of the fact that it will not reveal its Public Records office in December, 1999. “…rather than purchasing state-of- policies until just before the election. Enda Regular readers will know that this the-art weaponry Iraq procured museum- piece weapons… Kenny, the “alternative” Taoiseach, letter was a description by the British “…arms purchased including almost did a good job saying nothing to Ambassador of a lunch he had with Irish armoured cars which turned out to be so The Irish Times journalist Mark Brennock, Times director Major McDowell in poorly made that even a bullet from an but at the end of the interview the mask October 1969. The Ambassador wrote elderly AK-47 machine-gun could slipped. that McDowell described the then Editor penetrate their armour… “The ‘Colombia Three’ should be of The Irish Times, Douglas Gageby, as a “Other armoured cars reportedly jailed in Ireland, he says simply and if “renegade or white nigger on Northern leaked so much oil that they had to be Colombia signs up to a Council of Europe matters” and wished The Irish Times be abandoned… Convention on this, then it can happen.” taken in hand by the British State. “A shipment of the latest MP5 So much for due process! Once Columbia Maybe Hennigan, who was working American machine-guns turned out to signs, its sudden commitment to Human for the Irish Examiner in 1999, got the be Egyptian copies worth a fraction of Rights will have retrospective effect! Then OBE for his attention to detail and his eye the price. Kenny explains why the ‘Columbia Three’ for a story. “28-year-old helicopters were should be locked up. purchased, despite the fact they should Could the other discreet journalists: “The direct consequence of the have been scrapped after 25 years.” Rachel Donnelly (The Irish Times), ‘Colombia Three’ being here and giving Such pacifist, anti-imperialist and entre- Bernard Purcell (Irish Independent), two fingers to the Irish system is that you Professor Ronan Fanning (Sunday preneurial initiatives should be actively are now having criminal types of other Independent) be next in line for a Royal encouraged! categories wanting to come to Ireland on the basis that it is a safe haven and I Honour? HEALTH DEBATE understand there has been movement in An interesting debate is taking place that direction by paedophile priests” (The THE WHITE NIGGER… AGAIN on Mary Harney’s reforms in the pages of Irish Times, 10.9.05). The “White Nigger” had another The Irish Times. These reforms will have So, the ‘Colombia Three’ should be locked outing, this time in the Village magazine profound implications and yet opposition up (no trial necessary) to protect us from (16-22 September, 2005). He’s not going politicians are practically absent from the paedophile priests! This is the leader that to go away, you know. An article by Niall debate (there was one article from Labour’s Pat Rabbitte is betting on to get him cabinet Meehan gives the details known to IPR Liz McManus). seats. readers: the “white nigger” letter, the Private investors in health will make “ammunition” letter etc (see Irish Political 80% plus returns on their investments MORE ON DUE PROCESS Review, December, 2004, available free (The Irish Times, 12.9.05). There will be Irish Examiner journalist John Moher in PDF format from the Athol Books an 8.5 billion cost in terms of tax write- has done an excellent job in exposing the website). offs for developers of private hospitals. so called “anti-terrorism” treaty which The article in the Village is headed A Harney has admitted that the State will Michael McDowell signed with the US little subversion At Irish Times. Regular lose 145 million euros a year in revenue Ambassador. Article Eight of this Treaty Village columnist and consultant Editor from private patients as a result of allows US officials to question directly Conor Brady was The Irish Times Editor removing them from public hospitals (The suspects in Irish custody. when the “white nigger” and “ammun- Irish Times, 29.8.05). There is no The Minister can refuse requests from ition” letters were made available at the accountability on costs from the National the US, but if he is going to refuse all British Records Office in December, 1999. Treatment Purchase Fund, which buys requests why sign the agreement? Once a The article by Meehan refers to Brady’s treatment for public patients from private request has been accepted, US officials “error” last year claiming, in effect, that 10 the “ammunition” letter which refers to disposition (surely a tiny minority) should historical matters that the anti-national the “white nigger” letter was not avoid the September/October issue of lobby would prefer forgotten. But Fianna discovered by Irish Times journalists at History Ireland! The clinical taking apart Fail is in no position to take on that lobby. the time. But there has been no response of Hart’s thesis on the Kilmichael Ambush It is hard to envisage a single member of as yet from Brady. by Meda Ryan, Dr. Andreas Boldt of NUI the establishment, academic or political, See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no Maynooth and others will cause some with the possible exception of Eamonn evil. Above all don’t put anything on the queasiness among members of the O’Cuiv, capable of making a coherent record. Keep smiling, Conor and maybe, academic establishment, who have been case for 1916. just maybe, it will all go away . . . remarkably silent. eventually?! Referring to the Irish Political Review If the revived commemoration does and History Ireland, a review of Hart’s nothing else but alert a few minds to the book in Amazon.Com contains a health incongruity of celebrating an event that A REAL EDITOR Congratulations to Tommie Graham warning (or cynical commercial ploy): we dare not think about, it might do some the Editor of History Ireland for facilitating don’t buy Hart’s book without also buying good. the excellent debate on Peter Hart’s The Meda Ryan’s Tom Barry: Freedom David Alvey IRA And Its Enemies. However, readers of Fighter, now available in paperback. Postscript: the Irish Political Review with a sensitive You know it makes sense! After this article was written an item on the This Week programme on RTE radio (October 30th) shed light on how the Government intends to carry off its commitment to restoring the Easter Parade. It was an interview between Gerald Barry (a journalist often favoured by Fianna Fail) and former Army Chief of Staff Mangan. Bertie's Easter Parade The questions as well as the answers made it clear that the parade will primarily Bertie Ahern’s decision, announced at Alongside all of this, various strands be about acknowledging the role of the this year’s Fianna Fail Ard Fheis, to revive of anti-nationalist opinion have become defence forces. Great emphasis was placed the practice of holding a military parade influential. The three main daily on the army being the only Oghlaigh na every Easter in commemoration of 1916 newspapers, The Irish Times, the Irish hEireann. Apparently the Irish Army is difficult to make sense of. Independent and the Examiner, all share a traces its beginning to 1916. rabid anti-republican bias. Most of the top So, Fianna Fail, and indeed the State For thirty-five years there has been no columnists are openly critical of the itself, is no longer open to criticism for official commemoration of the insurrection tradition that gave the State its reason for failing to commemorate its origins; the that led to the formation of the State. (A existence, the tradition associated with army is acknowledged as the living celebration of sorts took place in 1991 to 1916. There is even a pressure group embodiment of 1916; and a potentially mark the 75th anniversary but it was openly campaigning for a closer political controversial occasion is de-politicised. deliberately low key.) The parade was relationship with Britain. A tamer commemoration cannot be cancelled in 1970 by a Fianna Fail envisaged. Yet the Government may not Government in the aftermath of the Arms So, having stripped the national get everything its own way. Former Chief Crisis, specifically, after the Lynch tradition of practical meaning and opened of Staff Mangan came across as an appli- Government had capitulated to pressure the gates to the enemies of the national cant at a job interview, dutifully endeav- from the British Ambassador regarding ideal, Bertie Ahern now proposes a return ouring to say the right thing. His the import of arms to Northern nationalists. to nationalist piety. By all accounts the enthusiasm for the parade sounded forced two Government parties agreed in advance and false. The historical origins of the Since that time the political landscape of the Ard Fheis to revive the 1916 State will not be so easily sanitised. has been transformed. Notably the commemoration as a defensive move nationalist world-view that once lay at the against the rise of Sinn Fein. The Govern- heart of the State has collapsed. History as ment is tinkering with the official view of a school subject has been downgraded, the event that inspired the founding of the Check out the latest offerings and school children are no longer given a State as a ploy in electoral politics!—a on the Athol Books site. sympathetic understanding of the struggle political stunt! There is plenty to read and you for national independence as a core part of their socialisation. In international affairs, The strangest aspect of the matter is can look up Indexes to back- Ireland’s standing as a small neutral State that Bertie is in earnest. The centrepiece issues of this and other capable of standing up to pressure from of his office decorations is a portrait of magazines in the Athol stable. the major powers has been discarded for a Patrick Pearse! To the extent that he holds lickspittle policy of keeping in with the political beliefs, he believes in 1916! Apart from that you can White House regardless of its military browse the Catalogue and adventures. And, in economic affairs, Reviving the Easter commemoration order literature on line. Go to since the late nineties when Bertie Ahern and setting plans in train for a major took office, the overriding imperative has celebration of the centenary in 2016, as been to follow the bidding of the purveyors Bertie has promised, are welcome in the www.atholbooks.org of globalisation in the US and Britain. sense that they may provoke debate about 11 classified as “mariners” and, as such, repatriated under international law. Other members of the British armed forces were Who Was De Valera Neutral Against? interned. In the heavy blitz of Belfast, De Valera sent the Dublin fire brigade north to give humanitarian assistance. The following article by Edward Spalton was written for the Unionist newsletter, Hands Perhaps one of the most valuable assets Across The Irish Sea, and submitted to this magazine. It appears here with a response to the Allies was the use of the Irish flying It is the fate of neutral countries to be Industrial Britain needed food from boat base at Foynes. Over ten thousand called names by belligerents, especially Ireland but Britain was Ireland’s only important passengers made the trans- by those with whom they have close social possible wartime customer so the atlantic crossing by this route during the ties. Jan Myrdal recounts how the Germans bargaining was hard and tough. Whilst war. High ranking British officers were referred to the Swedes as “those swine in Ireland had nowhere else to sell, every given papers showing that they were their smoking jackets”, sitting out the war rasher of Irish bacon or pound of butter officials of the Forestry Commission or in comfort whilst the Reich fought as the was one less for Britain to carry past some such civilian body to preserve the champion and defender of Europe (see Atlantic U boat packs. Britain needed veneer of neutrality. lecture in “European Voices” section Irish labour to build its airfields and man The very successful Irish Intelligence www.freenations.freeuk.com). Such name- its war industries. But above all, there services passed on the results of interro- calling did not preclude ‘correct’ persistent were 160,000 Irishmen who volunteered gations of captured German spies to their diplomacy and pressure upon neutrals for to join the forces of the Crown in the fight British counterparts but refused to allow concessions which would stretch the against Hitler. This equals an average of British officers to participate. Whether concept of neutrality to its limits and some 6,000 from every county of the Irish simply influenced by the pressure of his beyond. Free State. Everyone had someone they much more powerful neighbour, or by knew—relative or acquaintance, involved what De Valera himself called “a certain Sweden provided transit facilities for in the fight against Hitler. consideration towards England”, the German forces. Such cooperation From a small state with a population of balance of Irish policy certainly favoured diminished as the fortunes of war swung some three and a half million, this enorm- British interests. against Germany. With its far closer ous contribution of manpower to Britain’s Neutral states almost always come in relationship to Britain and its near total war effort had a decidedly un-neutral for name-calling. In Ireland’s case, the dependence on British goodwill for coal, aspect. Ireland’s stratagem was to ignore jeering came entirely from the British and petrol, the morning cup of tea and much them totally. By a far stricter system of Allied side. The American wartime else, it is unsurprising that the Irish censorship than applied in Britain, they Ambassador, Gray, is still remembered Government stretched the terms of neutral- were simply not mentioned. Indeed, until for his hectoring attitude and public ity in favour of Britain, whatever the public very recently, that was still the official denunciations of Irish neutrality. When rhetoric of the time. Irish attitude to their countrymen who Germany declared war on the United fought in the foreign army of the ancient States, Winston Churchill sent a telegram The beleaguered Britain of June 1940 oppressor. could not have spared the men or coastal to De Valera, urging him to join the war— artillery to garrison the Irish Treaty ports During the Emergency, as the war was ”Now’s your chance. A nation once again!”. Because of Churchill’s nocturnal which Chamberlain had surrendered a called in Eire, every word of every working habits, the telegram arrived in couple of years before. If they had been in newspaper, including the advertisements, the small hours and De Valera was roused British hands, a German descent on Ireland had to be passed by the censors. from his sleep, fully expecting to be handed would have had to be anticipated—in a re- Occasionally they were outwitted. A a British ultimatum. run of the French attempts during the society columnist was able to tell his Napoleonic wars. It was a distraction the readers that a well-known figure of the These and all the other anxieties and British Government could well do without. Dublin scene was “recovering from his slights, to which small states are subject Whilst German respect for the Royal Navy boating accident”. The gentleman in when great powers have urgent matters on rather than the niceties of neutrality was question had survived the sinking of the their minds, must have added up to a fair the deciding factor, their legation in neutral Prince of Wales and the Repulse by the load of accumulated resentment by the Dublin was an ideal observation and Japanese! time the war was drawing to a close. listening post at Britain’s back door. With Behind the screen of censorship, De Perhaps this played a part in De Valera’s a considerable traffic of people coming Valera was able to make concessions extraordinary public excursion to the and going from mainland Britain and which were of considerable benefit to German legation to sign the book of Belfast, the Irish facility for ‘the craic’ Britain. Flying boats on anti-submarine condolence upon Hitler’s death. There would surely provide attentive ears with patrol from Lough Erne in Northern Ireland was absolutely no requirement of protocol useful information. were permitted to fly over neutral Donegal, for him to do such a thing. The ghastly The Irish authorities were elaborately thus adding some 100 miles to their story of the Nazis’ Final Solution was punctilious in their dealings with German effective range. British air/sea rescue being made known in newsreels all over diplomats, partly playing to the gallery of crews in civilian dress were allowed to the world at the time. He must have realised extreme republican opinion as well as to operate out of nearby western Irish ports. that he would bring international obloquy an agreeable sense of the consequence Flying boats which landed in Irish waters upon himself and Ireland. So why did he and dignity of their hard won independ- from lack of fuel or mechanical breakdown do it? ence, whilst ever mindful of its extreme were permitted to be refuelled or repaired fragility in a world at total war. and sent quietly on their way. Flying boat crew who were washed ashore were It set up a very public spat with 12 Churchill which served to remind domestic that he was “without influence” and “more would never appear on the Central opinion that the Allied victory was not a or less apolitical”. Schroeder recom- Registry. From 1938 to 1945, Hempel victory for the Irish nation, whose territory mended a denazification certificate in the was listed in the secret section, whose still remained partitioned. The slanging second class. Along with all other Foreign records were available at the US match with Churchill did him no harm at Office personnel records of the Nazi era, Documentation Center, Zehlendorf. all with hard line republican opinion. One Hempel’s were destroyed by Allied action Hempel must therefore have had a special factor may have been De Valera’s high in 1943. He had not been able to send a function as an SD agent, either within the personal regard for Dr. Eduard Hempel, replacement CV because there was no Nazi party or in the Foreign Office. the German minister. At the end of the courier service between Dublin and Berlin. A parallel can be drawn with another war, the Allies demanded that neutral Given the evidence to hand, the Commis- diplomat in this special section who states should hand over German diplomats. sion accepted Hempel’s account and his combined his official mission as Consul Apart from the Vatican, Ireland was the excellent character references. He got his in Glasgow with intelligence work. In only European state to refuse this request. “Persilschein”, as the certificate of May 1950 the Jewish American weekly Dr. Hempel and the small staff of the denazification was called because it Aufbau accused Hempel of having misused German legation remained in Ireland, washed whiter than white. He was in his diplomatic immunity in Ireland for having claimed political asylum. By 1948 category V—exonerated. Hempel could espionage, producing evidence from it was obvious that the Allies were setting reasonably expect to resume his diplomatic German secret records. It was said that up a West German state which would career as a representative of the new Hempel had sent cipher telegrams from require a diplomatic service. Dr. Hempel democratic Germany. Dublin via Berne to Berlin, detailing submitted his request for de-nazification, Perhaps the glittering recommenda- “rewarding” targets in Britain for which had by then become a German tions diverted the Commission from bombing. responsibility. On 24th November 1948 enquiring why the envoy to neutral Ireland These claims were taken up by a Hempel sent his application to the Special had been awarded the War Merit Cross German Centre Party MP, Reisman, as Commission for the Denazification of first and second class. part of a general attack on rehabilitated Higher Administrative Officials in Stade. It was apparently unaware of the Nazis within the Foreign Office. On 18th It was accompanied by glowing testimon- Interrogation Summary of the Reich December 1951 Hempel was placed on ials from leading Irish personalities, the Foreign Office State Secretary, Adolf the retired list eighteen months early. Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland and from De Baron Steengracht von Moyland, at Whilst he got to enjoy his pension, his Valera himself. This reads as follows: Nuremberg, dated 19th March 1947. In former colleague in Dublin, Henning “It is a pleasure for me to testify that this, Hempel was not only named as “envoy Thomsen (who had joined the SS cavalry Dr. Eduard Hempel was German minister in Dublin” but also as “Lieutenant Colonel in 1933 and the Nazi party in 1937), in Ireland from 1937 to 1945. During the in the SS” (Obersturmbannfuehrer). This flourished modestly and went on to become whole of this time I was foreign minister contradicts the SS seniority lists of 30th Ambassador to Iceland. His SS Central and prime minister. Our official positions January 1944 and 1st October 1944 where Registry record shows that he was listed brought Dr. Hempel and myself into Hempel’s name is absent. Steengracht’s in the section “Foreign Service—Abroad” frequent contact. allegations about other diplomats and SS until 1937 (the year he was posted to “Dr. Hempel always appeared to me as a man of intelligence, refined educat- officers proved to be correct. Ireland). This was an “ersatz” replacement card. With benefit of hindsight, it seems ion, manners and complete honesty. The SS recruited people in key posi- highly likely that his original card was Whilst he fulfilled his duty to his country tions and membership conferred consider- transferred to the local group “Braunes with zeal, he conducted himself in able prestige and privilege. Correspond- conformity with the best traditions of Haus, Gau Reichsleitung”. At least two ence going back to 1936 shows that the the diplomatic service and did not act in of Germany’s very “correct” diplomats chief of the Sicherheitsdienst ( SD— any way as a propagandist for the in Ireland seem to have doubled as security service), SS Gruppenfuehrer National Socialist view of the world. intelligence agents. “His task as envoy of a belligerent Heydrich, was at pains to ensure that state in a neutral country was especially names of those recruited to the SD could Whether De Valera was aware of this difficult and delicate. He fulfilled it in a not be traced through the SS Central and wished to shield them from Allied way to which I never had the least reason Registry. With bureaucratic pedantry the interrogation and himself from unwelcome to take exception. He knew completely Central Registry insisted that existing cards exposure is not certain. Perhaps he had how to assess the position of Ireland as could not simply disappear. An “ersatz” held conversations with the German a neutral country and, it is my opinion, card would have to be inserted, showing diplomats as to Ireland’s position in event that his clear understanding of our service up to the time of transfer but with of a German invasion and occupation of position contributed on more than one no indication of the transfer. Then the England. As emissaries of Heydrich, occasion to preventing unpleasant situations from taking a dangerous turn. original cards could be transferred. These Hempel & Thomsen would have carried No representative of a democratic state records were kept in a separate archive far more clout than simple diplomats. The could have behaved with greater insight which was given the name “Ortsgruppe Gestapo and SD were tasked with or intelligence.” (This is a retranslation Braunes Haus, Sektion Berlin A”—(local controlling occupied Britain’s civil of the German version of De Valera’s group Brown House, Section Berlin A). administration. Something other than letter, prepared for the commission, and Personnel in charge of these records were routine reports must have justified may differ from the original in a few warned of the severest consequences of a Hempel’s War Merit Cross awards. words.) breach of security. The name was later Every other German embassy or legat- Hempel had become a Nazi party changes to “Ortsgruppe Braunes Haus, ion in neutral or occupied Europe had an member in 1938 but the Commission Gau Reichsleitung” (Local Group Brown officer whose task was liaison with the accepted the view of Schroeder, the Head House, District Reich Leadership). local police and legal authorities. These of Personnel at the German Foreign Office, Officers recruited directly into the SD appointments were frequently 13 camouflaged as cultural attache. There Economic Community of 1957 provided but which certainly included the consider- was no such appointment in the Dublin an opportunity to fashion a European polity ation that a German victory would make it legation but the minister and his deputy after the model they had envisioned in the impossible for Britain and France to repay were, in all likelihood, both members of Thirties and before. As Dr. Seebohm, one the immense debts they had incurred to the SD which supervised police work all of Adenauer’s ministers, expressed it for the United States. (The Royal Navy made over Europe. home consumption in 1951, “Will free it impossible for Germany to get heavily Europe join Germany? Germany is the into debt to the US. America was willing It would have been unnatural if De heart of Europe and the limbs must adjust to trade with both sides, but Britain stopped Valera had not considered the possibility to the heart, not the heart to the limbs”. German trade with the US.) of British defeat in 1940, but in 1945 And, when America did enter the war, maybe he just enjoyed taking a high moral Some Sources: it trumped Britain’s moralising. stance alongside the Vatican and twisting The New EU Superstate from a Swedish Perspective —Jan Myrdal, the British lion’s tail. Asylum for the www.freenations.freeuk.com In 1914 there were four countries at German diplomats perhaps served a second The Donegal Corridor & Irish Neutrality— war with Germany: Russia, France, purpose of keeping them quiet. Certainly Joe O’Loughlin Britain, and Serbia. In 1915 Italy was www.localdial.com/users/airforce/ his Government’s actions during the war Doncor.htm induced to break a Treaty with Germany had been overwhelmingly favourable to Verschworene Gesellschaft—das Auswaertige and Austria by the secret British offer that, Britain and the Allies. Amt unter Adenauer—zwischen Neubeginn in the event of defeat of Austria, it should und Kontinuitaet, Hans-Juergen Doescher, Wartime tales of German submarines Akademie Verlag, Berlin 1995. ISBN 3-05- have Austrian territory up to the Alps, also refuelling in Irish ports could hardly be 002655-3 the Dalmation coast of Croatia and a true in a country which was practically 10 November 2004 number of islands. In 1917 Greece, which destitute of petroleum products. Britain had rejected tempting offers of Turkish controlled the supply and was understand- territory, was compelled to join the war ably niggardly with it. On The Same Subject: against Germany by a British invasion Whilst he played hard for his side and and the installation of a British puppet never lost sight of his goal of a united The Propaganda That government. independent Ireland, De Valera seems to Never Sleeps But, after the United States declared have played his wartime innings with a war on Germany, the anti-German alliance pretty straight bat. Neutrality was over- The morality of world wars is determ- mushroomed. In 1918 there were more whelmingly supported by the Irish people, ined after the event on the basis of the than twenty countries at war with Germ- as it prevented the reopening of the wounds military outcome. There is in the modern any. This was not brought about by sordid of the civil war which had followed world no recognised source of moral deals and secret treaties, but by the influ- independence. Neutrality was a policy authority which stands apart from the ence of the United States as a presence on acceptable to the former combatants of conflict and passes moral judgment on it the American Continent. The States to the the Free State and Republican sides and when the shooting stops. Moral judgment South had been broken in to the Monroe not unacceptable to Britain. Anecdotal is invariably given in favour of the victor, Doctrine, and they knew that it would not evidence suggests that many who volun- because it is the victor who delivers it. be good for them not to declare war on teered to serve in the British forces In both its world wars of the 20th Germany. supported it for the same reason. century the British State absolutely refused The long sequel was a denial of the to consider ending the war by a settlement. To declare war on a state which has independent Ireland for which De Valera A settlement would have left the morality done you no harm, and against which you had striven. of the war in doubt. Only total victory was have no ambitions, might appear immoral a certain guarantee of moral righteousness. under a system of abstract and general The formation of the post-war German Britain therefore had no war aim in either morality. But, in these affairs in modern Foreign Office was a triumph of continuity. war, except the unconditional surrender times, morality is a concrete affair. To By and large, the same people were running of the enemy to its will. By means of this curry favour with the imminent victor by the show in 1949 as had run it up to approach it inaugurated the era of total declaring war on his enemy is a moral 1945—often with the same responsibil- war, war without restraint or conditions, action. And the victor has no objection to ities. The Cold War enabled Adenauer to totalitarian war on a scale which would people jumping on his bandwagon. Au insist that his core team of foreign policy compel the world to accept the outcome as contraire. The jumpers on his bandwagon specialists should be exempted from the determinant of morality in the moralise his war. denazification. The examination of the following generation. There have been few in high places in rest, as we have seen, was hardly very the victor states who dissented from the searching. An early pledge that no former The United States was sceptical of practice of totalitarian morality in this Nazi would be sent abroad as an British moral professions during the first matter. One of the few was Lord Hankey, ambassador was soon dishonoured. Some two years of both world wars—which, perhaps the most influential British civil eighty former Nazis served as post-war therefore, were less than World Wars in servant since Elizabethan times. He ambassadors for the new democratic these years. This made Britain uneasy on disapproved of putting enemy leaders on Germany. moral grounds, even before it became desperate for American military assist- trial as criminals for doing things which It does not take a great deal of ance, because a major power on the wings the victors themselves did as a matter of imagination to see how such an seemed to be too much like an impartial course. He knew, for example, that the ideologically orientated cohort saw the moral arbiter. The US found it expedient British Empire had made preparations for proposals for the European Iron and Steel to declare war on Germany in the Great war on Germany long before 1914 because Community of 1951. It and the European War for actual motives which are unclear, he had himself been in the thick of these 14 preparations as Secretary of the Committee surrender, although it was surrounded and that the suggestive power of the British of Imperial Defence. Then, during the was without hope of relief. The city media has erased his own memory and War, he was Cabinet Secretary: he actually authorities decided on a street-by-street that, instead of remembering, he echoes created the position. At the end of the War resistance to occupation. In effect the city what he hears? he would have liked to take the pretensions declared itself a fortress and was treated of the War propaganda in earnest by accordingly. The British propaganda, which never becoming Secretary of the League of A few years later the Americans atom- sleeps, is intent on cleaning up the record Nations and making it the centre of a new bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki without of the British involvement in Ireland, and departure in world affairs. But having called on them to surrender, as had that can only be done by blackening the Government gave him to understand that been done at Warsaw. They could not record of the Irish. The view of the Irish the League was to be a facade and that the have surrendered, because the American as volatile fantasists, who deny realities world would be ordered by the British Army was hundreds of miles away. They which irk them, and who are therefore at Empire. So he remained in Downing St. were bombed in a deliberate exercise of their best entertainers of the matter-of- as Cabinet Secretary. And a generation killing undefended civilians in order to fact English, but are also liable to indulge later he was against the “war crimes” exert pressure on the Government. in atrocities without quite knowing what trials at Nuremberg. The British created a fire-storm in they do, is cultivated today as much as it Dresden a few months earlier without ever was. And the story about The Emerg- The Nuremberg Trials were a travesty even the the political purpose the Ameri- ency is the extreme example of the Irish of law on many grounds. There were held cans had at Hiroshima. capacity for denying reality. under laws which did not exist. They were I know very well that the War was conducted by the victors acting as judge, The point I am making is not a moral called the War. I picked up the knack of jury and executioner. The guilt of the one. Morality has no real application to reading when I was very young and I read accused was presumed by the Court from the kind of war inaugurated by Britain in accounts of the War in the Cork Examiner the outset and they were displayed as 1914. The point is that the war for which and the Irish Press during its last two or debased criminals. The defence lawyers Britain prepared in the 1930s was a bomb- three years. And I heard it discussed. And were impeded and intimidated. Actions ing war, and the major British war effort I never saw, or heard, it called anything which were known to have been the work lay in the bombing of cities with a view of but the War. of the prosecuting Powers were charged exterminating the workers in them. The I also remember the critical moment in against the defendants. The conduct of bombing of cities was therefore excluded The Emergency. That was when people the prosecuting Powers, which might have from the category of war crimes at who had been involved in the War of served as a substitute for the law which Nuremberg. The victors made law to suit Independence twenty years earlier began did not exist, was ruled out of order as a their own methods. to make preparations to meet a new British basis for defence. And all military actions invasion. One of the preparatory measures of the prosecuting Powers were exempted The War was not called The Emergency was that my uncle took down the signposts from the presumed law. This was derived in Ireland during the War. It was called in the area. from some notion of natural right, which the War. But it has been made a fact by the they pretended to be instituting as the I notice that historians like to present a British propaganda that it was called the formal law of nations. balanced view, in which a German threat Emergency. I first noticed this in a book Nuremberg was a biassed display of is put on a par with the British threat, but by BBC propagandist Jeremy Paxman power and vengeance. But laws have I cannot recall that there was any actual about ten years ago. The latest instance of often been inaugurated by vindictive acts apprehension of a German invasion. And it occurred in BBC’s Mastermind, of power. If a regular system follows from now, having read a great deal on the compered by John Humphreys, this an originating act of power, there is law in subject, I would say that the popular view August. A competitor took as his Special the making. But nothing followed from was well founded. A realistic estimate Subject Irish neutrality during the 2nd Nuremberg. The prosecuting Powers made in the realities of the time had World War. The first question was entirely subsequently did exactly as they pleased, grounds for seeing a British invasion as an predictable: What was the War called in regardless of the humbug which they immediate probability and a German Ireland? I assume that, if the right answer mouthed at Nuremberg. The international invasion as a remote possibility—except had been given, a point would have been law proclaimed at Nuremberg did not, as as a counter to a British invasion, as in the lost. But the competitor knew the game, was promised, become part of the domestic case of Norway. so he gave the wrong answer and gained a law of the prosecuting Powers. Nuremberg point. The slibhin mentality, which was Law could not be applied to the British in “The Emergency” was not an Irish almost extinct when I was young, is Malaya, Kenya etc; to the French in name for the War. It was the name for the undergoing a strong revival. Algeria and Indochina; to the Americans condition of readiness which the War made in Vietnam—and, oddly enough, no In between Paxman’s book and necessary in Ireland. It was a condition as occasion arose for more than 30 years in Humphrey’s quiz show, it was made an close to one of armed neutrality as was which it might conceivably have been indisputable fact on the British media that possible under the severe military applied to the Russians. the War was called The Emergency in restrictions imposed on Ireland by the Ireland. I even noticed a couple of years Treaty in 1922, and kept up by other In 1939 there was much condemnation ago that Maurice Hayes said so in a book means after the anti-Treaty party came to of the bombing of Warsaw, but it did not review. Hayes, one of the few Catholics power. If the Irish State had described figure among the crimes charged against to reach the top of the civil service in the itself as being in the War by virtue of the the Germans. North, is now retired, and is therefore old Emergency measures which it adopted for The situation was that the Polish armies enough to know on the evidence of his the purpose of keeping out of the War, it had been defeated and Warsaw refused to own eyes and ears that it was not so. Is it would have merited ridicule. 15 Here are some samples of how the War [Editorial:] The New War Phase “Mr. then further from my mind than that I was reported and commented on, taken at Molotov proclaims that Herr Hitler must should write history, of the War or of random from the Irish Independent: work with the fate that overtook anything else, I took on something of the May 11,1940. [Main headline:] Allies Napoleon when he invaded Russia. War British moral/propaganda view, even March Into Belgium. has, however, undergone a tremendous though it conflicted with what I knew to [Editorial:] “To the detached outsider change since Napoleon’s day. The be the case. it has appeared from the very outset of present war is in technique vastly the present war that the countries now different from even the World War of I think it was Robert Fisk’s book on invaded have striven courageously and 1914-18. Besides the actual army which Ireland during the War, written while he they can now employ the Russians have impartially to maintain an attitude of was Northern Ireland correspondent of strict neutrality and to preserve their immense reserves, but as war is waged to-day machines are more important than The Times (feeding on Government independence. The horrors of war may briefings), that provoked me into forming now be said to have been unloosed on men.” a view of the War based on what I knew Western Europe with full ferocity.” June 25, 1941 [Editorial:] “The war May 13, 1940. A Toll Of War in the East is yet in the preliminary stage, about it. And that view could only be that [Editorial:] “…not yet fully recovered and for that reason the actual operations the War, which Britain began on the pretext from the effects of the 1914-18 war the do not provide material for examination of Danzig in 1939 and worked up into a struggle which will be still more or comment. What is of relevance at World War, was its most thoroughly bad destructive of life and property is now present is the strength and quality of the war rather than its only good war. raging over an extensive area. The opposing forces… The purges carried In 1914 Britain entered a War with engines of war to-day are more deadly out by Stalin in the Army Commands reasonable prospects of rapid success, the had, at any rate for a time, a bad effect on than those employed a quarter of a balance of force was so much in its favour. century ago… How are the belligerents the Red Army… Some of the Soviet war material—aeroplanes and tanks—are It fought with a will, and raised an Army financing the war? Great Britain is of Continental proportions even before doing so both by a steep increase in good, but not fully equal to the best conscription. The World War was its taxation and by borrowing… In the pre- German equipment.” war years taxation in Germany was In addition to news reports and editorial doing, but there would have been a exceptionally high… No big war loan comments, the paper published a regular substantial European War even if (as it has yet been issued by Germany, feature: The War—Week By Week by had given Germany reason to expect) it although the cost of the conflict to her Irish Independent Military Correspondent. had remained neutral. But the 1939 War must be formidable.” was all its own work. It had made itself the May 16,1940. The Allied Lines I am not saying that nobody in politics arbiter of European affairs in 1919 by Pierced. Germans Get Through Near or the media in Ireland ever referred to the preventing France from making a settle- Sedan. War as The Emergency, only that I never ment which would have disabled Germany June 3, 1940. Allied Troops’ Great heard or saw such a reference. If somebody as a state, and it had brought on Germany Feat At Dunkirk. comes up with such a reference I will give in opposition to France, especially in the [Editorial:] “With the first stage of Nazi period. Then, having made Germany the war practically ended, speculation is it the publicity it deserves. But, until rife concerning the next phase. Up to the somebody comes up with it, I will take the dominant Power in Central Europe by present the Germans have the initiative, presentation of it as a fact to be a concoction conferring the Sudetenland of Czecho- and it seems more probable that the of the propaganda apparatus from which slovakia on it in 1938, it made a military course of the war in the immediate future Hitler and Goebbels learned the alliance with Poland against Germany, will be a big counter-offensive by propaganda business. with France in tow. The only conceivable General Weygard.” purpose of the British (and French) military June 11, 1940. Italy Enters The War. And, with regard to “the screen of guarantees to Poland in the Spring of 1939 Fascist Invasion Of France Reported. censorship”, as far as I know it screened (leaving aside kindergarten fantasies) was [Editorial:] “…the Irish Independent out warmongering. If somebody has to encourage Poland to refuse to settle the has consistently supported Italy in her knowledge that it also suppressed only dispute remaining from the Versailles claims for fair treatment. There is no information about the course of the war, I Treaty. doubt that she was given a “raw deal” at would be glad to have it, and to give it the Versailles, and when she endeavoured publicity it deserves. Poland was an ally of Nazi Germany to develop a Colonial Empire, as Britain from 1934, and took part with it in the and France have done, she was met by a I don’t know how the War censorship policy of sanctions. We held that Italy in Ireland and Britain can be compared for dismantling of Czechoslovakia in 1938. had as much right to Colonial possessions strictness, since what was categorically Nazi-Polish friendship followed over a in Africa as had other great Powers, and banned in Ireland was given top priority in decade of antagonism between Weimar that the enforcement of sanctions against Britain, i.e. war propaganda. In Ireland Germany and Poland over the Versailles her was not only unjust, but a high there had to be reporting without border. Hitler reduced the border issue to political blunder of the first magnitude, propaganda. In England there had to be the question of the German city of Danzig. since it forced Signor Mussolini to seek propaganda, with accurate reporting as Poland had failed entirely over twenty the friendship of Herr Hitler and accept optional—and perhaps even with limits years to gain influence in Danzig. Early in the German annexation of Austria, which placed on it. 1939 Hitler proposed as a final settlement he would otherwise undoubtedly have Back around 1960 I was surprised to with Poland that the city should be opposed and perhaps prevented. Italy transferred to the adjacent East Prussia. has taken a plunge which, from the point find myself better informed—or at least of self-interest alone, would appear to more objectively informed—about the The British (and French) military be a mistake. Taking a long view, she course of the war than English people guarantees were given at that juncture, must lose more than she can gain.” with whom I discussed it. I suppose that giving the Poles the sense of belonging to June 23, 1941. Germans Invade was due to exclusion of propaganda from the predominant power in the world and Russia. the Irish reporting. But, since nothing was encouraging them to refuse the German 16 offer. The issue then was no longer bet- following year was, by use of the Navy, to that was implicit (and partly explicit) in its ween Poland and Germany but between a make small interventions on the margins wartime position. Ireland held in 1939 a powerful Triple Alliance and Germany. which provoked German counter- well-founded scepticism about Britain’s (The Poles, after all, had defeated Soviet interventions. The important thing was to declared purposes in launching a second Russia in the 1920s.) But, when this led to keep the war going by expanding it. And World War only twenty years after its war in September 1939, the Triple Alliance the great object was that, in this general victory in its first World War of the century proved to be an illusion—a deception. war atmosphere, a German/Russian war had made it master of the European Britain (and France) did not fire a shot in would ensue. “The worse the better” was situation and of the oceans of the world. defence of Poland. What there was in the guiding British maxim. The great But, in the course of the generation after 1939 was a German/Polish War. But, object was gained in June 1941. The war 1945, the moral position which sustained though not delivering on the guarantee to then changed character utterly. it during the war gradually seeped away Poland, Britain (and France) used the for want of thought. And, as its own German/Polish War as the occasion to Britain boasts of having “stood alone” position seeped away, the Churchillian declare war on Germany—not for the from June 1940 to June 1941. It stood mythology of the war seeped in to take its purpose of defending Poland, but for some because Germany made no real effort to place—and not even the quite complex other purpose entirely. knock it down. (And, because of Enigma, account of affairs given in Churchill’s Churchill knew that there was no real own writings, but the essentially mindless Having let the Polish/German War run threat of invasion, which facilitated the version of events distilled from his writings its course, Britain (and France) then pose of bravado.) But, from June 1941 to and actions by adherents of the Party maintained a formal state of war with May 1944, Russia fought alone in Europe which came to effective power in Britain Germany, in which there was no action while Britain engaged in displacement during his Prime Ministership (and which (aside from the stopping of German sea- activity on the margins; and Russia took he described as a potential Gestapo during trade by the Royal Navy, the effect of control of half of Europe when it had the 1945 election campaign), that is, Ernie which was minimised by the German/ defeated Germany. Bevin’s Labour Party. Russian Trade Agreement of August 1939). But Britain (and France) attempted, Charles James O’Donnell—a Donegal Britain set itself up as the guardian of during the Winter of 1939-40 to get into man who joined the Indian Civil Service civilisation. Nobody asked it to. It gained military conflict with Russia in Finland. (i.e. the British Civil Service which that position by force. When the Finns settled with Russia before governed Imperial India) in the 1870s, but As guardian of civilisation it prevented they could do so, Britain prepared an resigned from it after a generation of France from dismantling the German State invasion of Norway, but proceeded so service in protest against the populist in 1919, even though for four years the laboriously that Germany extemporised Imperialism of the Curzon era (which he German State had been represented in the an invasion of its own and got in first. saw as laying the basis for a division of war propaganda as the major source of While all of this was going on the India along religious lines) and tried Evil in the world. It maintained the German British (and French) declaration of war on unsuccessfully to raise the British State against France, whilst humiliating it Germany was kept up, but with no action democracy against it—subsequently wrote by the conditions of the Versailles Treaty. by those who declared it. Then, while what I take to be the only history of the And, during the period of the Weimar Britain was still licking its wounds over 1914 War seen from something like an democracy, it enabled it to strengthen Norway, Germany responded to the Irish viewpoint. Perhaps it was only the itself, though prohibiting breaches of the declaration of war, disrupted the Anglo- viewpoint of Gladstonian Liberalism—or Versailles conditions. But, during the French Armies, allowed Britain to take a of an ideology connected with it—but period of the Nazi dictatorship, it either great part of its Army home from Dunkirk, since England ‘moved on’ from that collaborated with Hitler in breaking the and made a temporary settlement with viewpoint in 1914, it did service as an Versailles Treaty or connived at Hitler’s France pending a settlement with England. Irish viewpoint. In the course of that breaches of it, e.g. militarisation of the history, O’Donnell said that a nation was Rhineland and the merger with Austria. Britain had eight months (September a country that knew its own history and In September 1938 it went far beyond 1939-May 1940) to organise an attack on had a foreign policy—or words to that Versailles by conferring on Germany a Germany following its declaration of war, effect: I have not the means of getting his region which had never belonged to it, the and five months before that to prepare for exact words where I am writing this. It is Sudetenland. It seems to me that respon- the declaration of war, the decision to evident today that Ireland meets neither of sible action at that point would have been make war having been made in effect in these tests, at least in its official institutions. to get Danzig transferred to Germany in late March 1939. It is evident from its And it lost both together, losing one as a order to get that live issue of German conduct during those thirteen months that by-product of the loss of the other. It was nationalism out of the way, to declare that its purpose was to start a World War but demoralised in its domestic history by its to be the end of the matter, and to make not to fight it. Others were to fight it. It failure to sustain its foreign policy position credible alliances with a view to stabilising was intended in the first instance that of 1939-45 in actual thought, in the form the post-Versailles condition of Europe. those others should be the French. But the of a history of the War which was not the What it actually did was utterly French, remembering what happened in British history and which therefore would irresponsible. 1918-19, were not going to fight Britain’s necessarily have been developed in war for a second time. When Britain took The case against Irish neutrality in confrontation with the British history. its Army home, France accepted the retrospect is that the relevant institutions Ireland failed itself. But in failing consequence of defeat by the State on of the Irish State—the Taoiseach’s Office, itself it also failed Europe. which it had declared war, and made a the Department of External Affairs, and settlement. the Universities—did not sustain and The way things are at the moment with The British strategy during the develop in the post-war era the morality regard to morality has two possible 17 explanations: Either there is a trans- Christian Democratic core, scarcely dared behaving eccentrically, and producing cendental force of Providence whose to remember, or did so covertly, or it nothing of substance. decrees constitute morality and the British remembered a kind of fantasy scheme of Bill Sharkey had told me about a group State is its agent; or morality is what suits what had happened. And it had no voice of academic layabouts into whose the interests of the victors in great wars, in the English-speaking world. Ireland company he had fallen for a time when he and Britain is its constituting agent (along might have been both its memory and its was working on Irish manuscripts in with its American offspring), since it has voice in the dominant and domineering Dublin in the 1950s. I realised that this embarked on many great wars over the language. was Williams’s coterie. past three centuries and has won, or been I wondered over many years why no on the winning side, in all of them. If the The most substantial piece of writing serious attempt had been made in Ireland latter is the case—and it is the way things by Williams I had seen was a long article to do this. Then a couple of years ago I are working just now—morality becomes in Irish Historical Studies (an obscure heard Manus O’Riordan’s remarkable a mere expression of power. It can journal rarely seen) on the Anglo-Polish attack on Desmond Fennell for dedicating therefore be argued, in a thoroughly vulgar negotiations of early 1939, in which Britain his The Revision Of European History application of this principle, that Bertie laid the groundwork for the 2nd World (Athol Books) to the memory of a British Ahern acts morally when he submits to War. It was out of place, and was oddly spy who was Professor of History at US-UK interests at every turn. inconclusive. But, when I found what University College, Dublin and hatched a But the Irish State itself only exists Williams had been, I went back and read brood of ideologues of which Kevin Myers because of the successful exercise of power it again. And I also discovered, in an even is the prime specimen. I did not know against Britain by the Irish national more obscure publication (a report of a what to make of it at the time. But since movement. It had to come into existence Conference of Irish Historians held in the I knew from experience that Manus did as a power structure which stood the test late 1950s), a survey of British writing on not invent facts, I searched around, and I of war because Britain would not relin- the war since 1945. And I gathered from found that Manus had only told the half of quish control of it to mere voting. It was these two publications that Williams knew it. then its business to express morally the that what was being produced in Britain as I had regarded T. Desmond Williams power through which it existed. It did this histories of the war was not history at all. as a History Professor of no intellectual inadequately for three generations—the But he expressed himself in such a way consequence. He edited a number of inadequacy being due in great part to that he concealed what he knew in the act collections of articles, and his own British success in bringing about a ‘civil of revealing it, while letting those in the contributions to them were slight and war’ within the national movement in the know understand that he knew. The style banal. course of relinquishing direct control to could not be more different from the I looked up his obituaries, and I learned the national movement. Ireland has ceased simple, kindergarten, form of his little from one Myers wrote for the Irish Times to do it at all during the past 20 years, and articles on Irish history. that all who came under his influence at it has handed over control of organised It seemed to me that the intellectual UCD felt that they were in the presence of intellectual life to institutions of the British who was fitted to write the pathbreaking one of the great intellects of the mid-20th State, so that the history of the establish- Irish history of the 2nd World War did not century. Their explanation of why he had ment of the Irish State can be ‘revised’ dare to write it. He was intimidated, or published nothing of substance was that into a history of loutish Irish ingratitude was disabled, by his own participation in he was a perfectionist and would let go of towards English goodwill. And that must that war as a high-level British spy. nothing he did not consider perfect. It was be judged immoral, even by the most Anyhow, he made no attempt to write that expected that his executor would release sceptical view of what morality is. history, except in these brief, Aesopian the masterpieces that Myers was sure snatches. And he occupied the space in would be found in his study. But, as far as Ireland was uniquely placed after 1945 which it should have been written. I could discover, nothing has appeared. to constitute itself a kind of European Brendan Clifford memory bank on which the waves of the There was apparently nothing to PS: Desmond Fennell’s invention of the totalitarian British propaganda/morality support Myers’ view of him as a very “state-nation” to accompany the nation would break. Europe itself, bombed and great historian, but I found that Manus state and the multi-national state should, I demoralised (France only less so than O’Riordan’s assertion that he was a spy think, receive the attention of Occam’s Germany), with the exception of a small was indisputable. Williams was an razor. intellectual prodigy, educated at home by Two New Pamphlets: his father, who was Professor of Education APOLOGY Union Jackery: at UCD. He then went to Cambridge to be Due to pressure of space, Irish Political finished off. This was towards the end of the pre-history of Fascism in Britain Review has to hold over a number of the war. In 1945 he was whisked away articles. These include: by from Cambridge by the British Brendan Clifford Government, and taken to Germany to * The Irish Catholic and Benedict XV. ISBN 0 85034 111 6. £4 (6 Euros) postfree investigate the State archives which had Part Four: America And The Peace fallen into British hands. It was necessary Note Of 1917 (Pat Walsh) Roger Casement: for this purpose that he should be sworn in * De Valera And Partition (responding A Reassessment Of The Diaries Controversies to MI5. Then, in the late forties, he went to last month's editorial, A Visionary straight from MI5 to the Chair of History Republican (Joe Keenan) by at UCD. He was then only in his late 20s, Mairead Wilson and he squatted in the Chair for the next * Barry's Column on the ISBN 0 85034 112 4.£3 (5 Euros) postfree thirty years, impressing the students, International Brigades AGM (from addresses on back page) 18 Labour and Clann na Poblachta declared a Republic and launched the Anti-Partition League. This was designed to achieve international recognition for the South’s The IRA Connections claim on the North, while concealing the fact that there was a real opposition to a When the Republican Movement split North, and devising a political and military United Ireland in the North; that there was thirty-five years ago, the “Official” wing response that would ensure that such a in existence another Irish nation which produced a pamphlet called Fianna Fail, siege could never again be laid. wished to remain part of the UK. the IRA Connection. This was intended to There was, nonetheless, a Fianna Fail/ Up to this point DeValera had opposed demonstrate that the “Provisional” wing, IRA connection. But, on and off, there anti-partitionism in any concrete form— the Provos, were a mere creature of Fianna always has been. And there was also an beginning with the Treaty debates in 1922. Fail—a reprehensible offspring of a IRA/Fine Gael connection in 1969-70. The North was a complication he didn’t reprehensible parent. And these connections applied to the need in constructing his de facto Irish The pamphlet was probably the best Official IRA as well as to the Provos. And Republic in the South, his Eire nua. But known and most widely read publication to anyone else who was at all involved at now that this project was on auto-pilot he of the time. No one interested in politics in the time. joined with the Anti-Partition League. And with time on his hands he travelled Ireland could be unaware of its contents. Everything in Irish politics, apart from abroad to campaign on its behalf— most (And many people outside Ireland were the Unionists, comes out of the Republican famously perhaps with his meeting with also made familiar with it.) Yet it had no Movement which fought for independence Nehru. adverse effect whatsoever on either the between 1916 and 1921. And in case Provos or Fianna Fail. anyone in the Irish Labour Party thinks Behind the public campaign was work But it remained at the core of “Official” he’s above all this, he should remember done by the Irish Civil Service. In particular Republican thinking—in all that move- that the founder of the Labour Party was by Conor Cruise O’Brien who devised ment’s various guises and incarnations— the first Commander in Chief of the Irish detailed propaganda for use by the Official Sinn Fein and IRA, the Workers’ Republican Army, James Connolly. politicians. Party, the Democratic Left and, now, the The continuation of these connections Into all this, planning for a military leadership of the Irish Labour Party. And is inevitable since the goals for which they campaign dovetailed almost perfectly. It it has made it impossible for any of these all fought, and many died, remain un- was as though the plans laid by Michael to think rationally about or deal with the finished or unresolved business. Collins in 1922 had been postponed for Provos and Fianna Fail. about 30 years. Only this time there existed The specific Fianna Fail - IRA a settled democratic state in the South. It turned the “Official” movement into connection was essential to Fianna Fail a marginalised rump which the British being permitted to achieve electoral power The IRA campaign was organised so State seems to be finally getting around to in 1932-3. Irish democracy had to be as to bring international pressure on the destroying. It has made those who have established over the barrel of a gun. The British without causing a conflagration in taken over the leadership of the Labour Free Staters would not have allowed it the North or causing trouble or divisions Party incapable of seeing Fianna Fail and otherwise. Sinn Fein as anything but demons. It has in the South. Arms were to be procured by orientated the Party towards Fine Gael When the democracy was threatened raiding British Army barracks in Armagh, and the right of Irish politics. by the Blue Shirts/Army Comrades Omagh and in England. The Armagh raid Association/Fascist threat in the 30s, it was successful enough to equip a battalion. One would have thought that the total was the Fianna Fail/IRA connection that Volunteers wore proper military ineffectiveness of Fianna Fail, the IRA saved it. (Can’t Irish Republicans be proud uniforms complete with pretty shoulder Connection would have warned its authors of the role that this alliance played in flashes. Fighting with the B-Specials was that they may have got something wrong. sparing Ireland from Fascism? This period to be avoided where possible. No military But it did not. It was clung to like divine is also conveniently forgotten by the make- activity was permitted in Belfast for fear revelation. And it made thought about believe anti-Fascists who have recently of starting communal conflict. General either history or politics well-nigh been attacking Eamon DeValera and Sean Army Order No. 8, which forbade kind of impossible. Russell, and know nothing about either.) conflict in the South, was rigidly enforced The fundamental flaw in the pamphlet A more recent interconnection between —to the extent of armed volunteers who lay in the fact, seemingly obvious to the nationalist parties concerns the military crossed the Border having to surrender to rest of the world, that the Provos were not campaign in the North from 1956 to 1962, unarmed Guards when they were unable a Fianna Fail creation but arose out of the otherwise and more properly known as to outrun them. events in Northern Ireland in 1969-70— the Border Campaign. events which the original Republican Recruits were new younger men, a Movement failed to deal with. After coming to power in 1932 De very high percentage of them from as far It was not, as portrayed, a left-right Valera set about constructing the kind of away from the Border as possible, i.e. split. Some of the best socialists in the Irish state he wanted in the Twenty-Six from Cork. These were considered as being movement went with the Provos. It was Counties. This was reflected firstly in the more amenable to being disciplined to not about attitudes to participating in Free 1937 Constitution and secondly, in prac- accept the rigid controls under which the State institutions. Contending views on tice, in the state’s genuine neutrality during IRA was allowed to operate. Older men the matter continued on both sides of the World War Two. When he lost office in from the IRA of earlier periods, who were split. It was about responding to a siege the late 40s his job was done. The new more used to fighting Free State forces, laid to the Catholic community in the Coalition Government of Fine Gael, were for the most part rejected when they 19 volunteered. The Campaign opened on 12th Decem- ber 1956 with spectacular raids on installations all over the Six Counties. There was one major setback in military terms: the attack on Brookborough Sean Garland Barracks on New Year’s Day 1957. Two of the attackers, Sean South and Fergal And Questions For Mickey McDowell O’Hanlon, were killed and several were wounded, including the commander. Workers’ Party President, Sean Correspondent of the Washington Times, But the funeral of Sean South showed Garland, aged 71, was arrested by the which is owned by Fun Myung Moon’s the extent of support for the Campaign PSNI on 7th October in Belfast on foot of Unification Church (the Moonies). from people of all political parties an extradition warrant issued by the US. throughout the Twenty-Six Counties. The This followed the indicting of Garland The Irish Times, on 17th October, cortege as it moved from the North, and six others in the US District Court for published a story based on the 24 page through Dublin, to Limerick attracted the District of Columbia, Washington, on Washington indictment. The indictment 100,000 mourners. Sean South was a mere 19th May 2005. The charges were is not a Book of Evidence and contains Section Leader at Brookborough. But he was a Commandant (a Major) in the Free Conspiracy, Counterfeiting Acts Commit- allegations, but offers no supporting proof; State Army’s reserve— the FCA. ted Outside the United States, and Dealing this fact did not emerge in the Irish Times in Counterfeit Obligations or Securities, coverage. Nor did the Irish Times query De Valera returned to power in 1957 and had been under investigation by a some of the factual errors contained in it. and IRA men caught under arms in the Grand Jury since 30th September 2004. For example, in the indictment it is stated South continued to be treated with that, “Sean Garland was President of the leniency, to say the least. (De Valera was never sentimental about the IRA and had Following his arrest Garland protested Irish Workers’ Party”. He was not; he is no compunction about executing them in his innocence and was released the President of the Workers’ Party of Ireland. the 30s and 40s when it suited him.) But following day on condition that three There was an “Irish Workers’ Party”, but by the end of 1958 it was clear that the personal sureties of £10,000 each were Sean Garland was never a member of it. campaign was going nowhere. Inter- lodged with the court and that he remain in That was the name of the communist party national recognition for the Anti-Partition Northern Ireland. The US authorities were in the south from 1962 to 1970. (In 1970 claim was not forthcoming. The IRA was given 65 days in which to lodge the it merged with the Communist Party of not being treated as a legitimate army in extradition papers with the Court. And Northern Ireland to form the Communist the field and its captured members were there the matter rests for now. Party of Ireland—not to be confused with not being treated as prisoners of war. Even the Workers’ Party of Ireland). This error the International Red Cross refused to get The first mention of Sean Garland and might seem irrelevant, but the indictment involved. ‘super dollars’ was in coverage of a trial at is a legal document which even a misplaced Pressure was being brought on the Worcester Crown Court in July 2002 comma would normally render invalid. IRA to abandon the Campaign. When it resulting from a joint operation between refused to do so the Free State Justice the US secret service and the British The indictment is online exclusively Minister, Charles Haughey, introduced national crime squad. Three men were at “http://counterterror.typepad.com/ internment in 1959 to cut off the supply of sentenced for distributing forged hundred the_counterterrorism_blog/files/ volunteers. The Campaign was finally dollar bills (the trio are amongst those USvGarlandIndictment051905.pdf.” This called off in 1962 and the prisoners were released. No talk then about decommis- indicted with Sean Garland on 19 May). website is run by Andrew Cochran, Vice sioning: arms were dumped for further The case was colourful with the Russian President of GAGE, a business consulting use! Mafia, ex-members of the KGB and the and government affairs firm headquartered sum of $27 million all featuring. Only 007 in Washington, DC. Cochran also serves The Official Republican Movement/ was missing—and North Korea, which as a special adviser to the Congressional Workers’ Party/Democratic Left/Labour was not mentioned during this trial. Sean Anti-Terrorist Financing Task Force. Party should know all this. Most of their leaders volunteered for and saw action in Garland was reportedly referred to in Court Some indication of Cochran’s politics and the Border Campaign that was launched as the “top jolly of the Official IRA”. But objectivity can be gleamed from his online in the atmosphere created by the all-party there was no proof of involvement by reference to Ken Livingstone as a Anti-Partition League. And most of them Garland substantial enough to warrant “Terrorist Toady”. were later involved in attempting to pro- any action by the British or Irish cure arms through Southern politicians in authorities. He is still not wanted for any Cochran is one of Washington’s 1969—including through wicked Fianna offence here or in Britain. experts. Despite this, the same site, on a Failers. different page, carries the claim that the Nevertheless they tried to distinguish North Korea first entered the story via ‘Super dollar’ affair constitutes the themselves from the Provos by criticising BBC Northern Ireland’s Spotlight, “biggest international incident regarding them for trying to get arms from Fianna broadcast on 16th March 2004, followed the IRA since the Columbian terrorist Fail and for carrying out military actions by Panorama in June that year—the training situation”. This confused which they themselves carried out for two statement falsely links Garland to alleged years (at least). Or do they repudiate Joe Panorama being little more than a Provisional republican connections with McCann and all the others? rebroadcast of the Spotlight programme. This was (and is) a monumental exer- The Spotlight programme was given a FARC. A generous interpretation would cise in self-deception that is at the very further airing on 11th October, following be that Cochran’s confusion springs from core of their ineffectual ideology. Garland’s arrest. The main source for the repeated references in the indictment Conor Lynch Spotlight was Bill Gertz, Security to the “Official” IRA. However such 20 confusion is not what you would expect from an ‘expert’. But Cochran is not unique in this: the BBC, reporting on the Worcester trial in 2002 referred to Garland as “a top IRA dissident”. While this differentiates him from the Provisionals, it gives the even more distorted impression Ahern’s Modest Proposal that his politics are the same as those of I hope the articles in last month’s Irish proposal. Fine Gael, Labour and the wee RIRA or CIRA. Political Review concerning Dáil rights PDs were also not in favour of the proposal. for Northern representatives made at least No paper to my knowledge pointed out Faced with a fog of allegations and three things clear to IPR readers. First, that Fine Gael had 2 TDs and 1 Senator on assumptions linking North Korea, FARC, that the commitment on speaking rights the All-Party Committee, or that Labour the KGB and the Russian Mafia, a US jury given by Bertie Ahern was not a matter of also had 2 TDs and 1 Senator on the might be forgiven for assuming that with secret deals in smoke-filled rooms but Committee, or that even the wee PDs had so much smoke there must be fire. And was given in Dáil Éireann itself, in a 1 Sentator on the committee (Fianna Fáil links between Sean Garland, the Workers’ debate on 13th May, 2003. Second, that had 4 TDs and 1 Senator on the Committee Party and North Korea are easy to the commitment was specifically in respect and Sinn Féin wasn’t represented at all on demonstrate—because they were quite of the recommendation of the All-Party the Committee, which is perhaps the most open. North Korean delegates were Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution. interesting fact about it). frequent guests at Workers’ Party And third, that the All-Party Committee No paper to my knowledge mentioned conferences in the 1990s. The fact that recommended: the debate which was held in Dáil Éireann these links do not prove the allegations “…a limited right of audience within might be lost on a US jury presented with the Dáil. This would not require a on 27th May 2003, which is of some easily demonstrable links to a state which constitutional amendment, and might considerable interest in the context of Bush has labelled part of the ‘Axis of technically be effected through the Dáil Fine Gael, Labour and the wee PDs failing Evil’. periodically forming itself into a to come out in favour of a modest proposal Committee of the Whole House for the which only sought to implement the purposes of selected debates, most Despite Garland’s frequent trips to recommendation of a high powered obviously for instance on Northern committee on which they were all Belfast, including a fairly well-advertised Ireland matters and on the operation of Billy McMillen commemoration at which the Good Friday Agreement. The represented (and even more important on he was flagged as speaker, he was not frequency and organisation of such which Sinn Féin wasn’t represented). arrested until 7th October. That was the debates could easily be altered as no That debate was on a Sinn Féin motion opening day of the Workers’ Party’s 2005 constitutional amendment is required which I simply don’t understand, which Ard Fheis. Political damage to the over time, in the light of experience.” was introduced by Aengus Ó Snodaigh Workers’ Party as a result of this timing Very little of that information has and reads: was inevitable and probably intentional. filtered through to the National Press of Go ndéanann Dáil Éireann: Why wasn’t Garland arrested on one of Ireland. But then highly-paid journalists, – ag athdhearbhú di a tacaíochta le his many trips to Belfast in the five months historians and political commentators have Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta ar previously? Garland is an Irish citizen a duty to maintain active social lives and aontaigh muintir na hÉireann leis i who is not wanted for any crime in Ireland safeguard who-knows-what high levels reifrinn; or the UK. He is on conditional release – ag aithint di an dul chun cinn of employment in the entertainment pending possible extradition to the US polaitiúil mar thoradh ar phróiseas na industry. They can’t be expected to do that under the 2003 Extradition Act (legislation síochána agus ar an gComhaontú, atá le and read accounts of Dáil proceedings or leas mhuintir uile na hÉireann; which requires a higher burden of proof relinquish the price of almost half a pint – ag cur a buíochais in iúl as an obair for the extradition of US citizens to the for the small circulation magazine that atá déanta agus glactha chucu ag na UK than for the extradition of UK or other does read such accounts and does actually hinstitiúidí uile-Éireann; citizens to the US). There is obviously bother to report them. – ag aithint di go bhfuil insufficient evidence to prosecute Garland comhdhualgais agus dualgais for anything in Ireland or Britain, so how Anyway, when Bertie Ahern wrote on chomhionanna ar Rialtas na hÉireann can there be enough evidence for his Wednesday 26th October, to the leaders agus ar Rialtas na Breataine i leith cur i bhfeidhm iomlán an Chomhaontaithe a extradition? Does Dublin believe that Sean of all the parties, North and South, that chinntiú, mar atá sainordaithe ag an Garland, a self-confessed communist and had an interest in the matter, proposing no bpobal; critic of US foreign policy, will get a fair more than that the recommendation of the – ag cuimhneamh di ar an dul chun trial in the US? All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the cinn atá déanta i gcainteanna a raibh Constitution should at last be implemented, athbhunú na n-institiúidí mar aidhm leo; Mickey McDowell, the Republic’s the degree of journalistic and editorial – cáineadh ar chinneadh rialtas na Justice Minister, does not want to discuss ignorance of basic facts was…well, Breataine chun toghcháin an Tionóil, a bhí le bheith ann ar 29 Bealtaine 2003, it. When it was raised in the Dáil on 20th frankly, it was just about what all well a chur ar ceal; October he simply left the Dáil chamber. informed people would expect. – a éileamh ar rialtas na Breataine: McDowell usually enjoys being – na hinstitiúidí polaitiúla a bunaíodh outspoken, why so reticent now? The journalists all noted that of all the faoin gComhaontú a athbhunú; Sean Swan parties written to, only Sinn Féin and the – dáta roimh dheireadh mhí SDLP were in favour of the proposal. The Mheithimh 2003 a shocrú do thoghcháin (For further information, see Official Unionists and Democratic an Tionóil; “www.seangarland.org”) Unionist Party were not in favour of the – a áitiú ar Rialtas na hÉireann: 21 – ionadaíocht sa Dáil a shocrú do parties achieving representation in the amendments were not voted on. The shaoránaigh sna Sé Chontae; agus Oireachtas periodically arises in the motion as amended by the Government – polasaithe agus straitéisí uile- House. Efforts have been under way to was put to the vote and carried overwhelm- Éireannach a chur chun cinn ar fud an review the situation since the signing of ingly, with only the Sinn Féin deputies réimse dualgas Rialtais, ó aithnítear na the Good Friday Agreement five years buntáistí do mhuintir uile na hÉireann a ago, recognising the new context it and a few others voting against. Just before bhaineann le seoladh cúrsaí poiblí ar created for political structures throughout the vote Sinn Féin’s Dáil leader, bhonn uile-oileáin. Tá mé ag roinnt ama Ireland. It is the Labour Party’s view Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, had this to say: leis an Teachta Arthur Morgan, a that the relationship and interaction “We regret that our MPs, or Deputies, gheobhaidh cúig nóiméad, an Teachta between elected representatives in the from constituencies north of the Border, Ferris, a gheobhaidh cúig nóiméad, an North and in the Oireachtas should only are unable at this point to join us in this Teachta Healy, a gheobhaidh seacht be considered alongside full implement- important debate on the floor of the nóiméad go leith, an Teachta Finian ation of the Good Friday Agreement. In Chamber. It is something we have McGrath, a gheobhaidh seacht nóiméad the present context, such consideration pursued actively and we welcome the go leith, agus is é an duine deireannach serves only to distract us from the main stated intent of the Taoiseach to have ná an Teachta Boyle, a gheobhaidh cúig issue of re-establishing the institutions this matter expedited and addressed in nóiméad. Tá súil agam go bhfuil sé sin created under the Agreement and using the autumn session. ceart go leor. them as templates for future political “While regretting that our colleague structures North and South. This does MPs are unable to join us this evening, I By the look of it only part of that is the not mean that accommodating elected want to make it abundantly clear that we motion (in recent years this magazine has representatives in the North in some also regret the fact that all 18 MPs for the been almost taken over by Gaelgoeri, so fashion is out of the question. The terms northern constituencies are unable to be I’ll keep my opinion of the incredible in which Sinn Féin has chosen to present with us here today. I want to put on stupidity of conducting current politics in the issue in this debate do not recognise record that we look forward to the day the efforts made through the All-Party when all 18 MPs will have the a dead language to myself). Anyway a Committee on the Constitution, of which opportunity to represent their particular later speaker, a TD called Healy was kind I was a member. We held hearings and analysis and outlook in a debate on this enough to point to: heard from a number of political parties, issue or on related matters. I hope and “…the section that urges the Irish including Sinn Féin and the SDLP, which expect that day is approaching, which is Government to provide for represent- presented cases to the committee. This something I hope to be here to welcome. ation in the Dáil for citizens of the Six was a recognition that a new kind of “It is important to acknowledge at Counties. That is something they should relationship should be explored and this juncture the Government’s agree- have. They are Irish citizens and, if they considered by the committee. Recom- ment in its amendment to our motion elect people to represent them in the Six mendations were published and that the issue of northern representation Counties, they should have an oppor- presented to the previous Government in the Oireachtas should be taken forward tunity to represent the views of their after consideration of the issues was by agreement in both the Dáil and Seanad constituents in this House and in Seanad completed. and that that should happen before the Éireann. I support this part of the “I can recall the discussions in the end of this session.” motion.” committee very clearly. There was cross- party agreement that the fact that cross- Fine Gael and Labour and the wee Thanks to Mr. Healy I know what the community representation was a PDs, who had been represented on the final part of Brian Cowen’s amendment of significant factor should be recognised. All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the that motion (the amendment is in English, We could not disregard the fact that the Constitution, voted for a Government the motion is in Gaelic, which is simply mandate that exists in Northern Ireland amendment which endorsed the recom- does not belong to any one community, mendation of that Committee. Not one of ludicrous) is getting at. Here is th tail end but is instead a cross-community of a long amendment which— those who voted for the Government made mandate. We had to take that factor into the little effort it would have taken to “…notes the recommendations of the account in our deliberations about any Oireachtas All-Party Committee on the proposals we were bringing forward. disown the reference to the Committee. Constitution with regard to Northern The Seanad is revisiting the issue of Liz McManus of the Labour Party went representation in the Oireachtas, and Oireachtas representation for northern out of her way to commend the Committee, agrees that these recommendations politicians. I welcome the Seanad’s its efforts and its recommendation. should be taken forward through explicit efforts, as part of its internal consultation with all political parties review, to explore ways of accommod- But none of the papers, their journalists, represented in the Dáil and Seanad.” ating representation for people in the historians and political commentators, North. I anticipate that a way of resolving An amendment tabled by Fine Gael mentioned any of that. So none of them the matter will be found that is to the were in a position to mention (as if they leader Enda Kenny did not mention the satisfaction of parties in the Oireachtas would have anyway) the incredible issue of Dáil rights. Another amendment, and in Northern Ireland.” hypocrisy of Fine Gael, the Labour Party moved by Liz McManus on behalf of the Please, let it be noted for the record and the wee PDs in all of a sudden all of Labour Party when the debate resumed on that in the Dáil on 28th May 2003 Ms them rejecting a proposal in whose 28th May, also failed to mention the issue McManus, moving an amendment on development they have all been so closely of Dáil rights. But Ms McManus, who had behalf of the Labour Party, endorsed the involved. Hypocrites one and all! been a member of the All-Party Committee recommendation of the All-Party Oireach- So what did they find to write about, which recommended that Northern tas Committee on the Constitution of which representatives should attend and speak at those heroes of the third estate, so full of she had been a member. If only Stickies . . . well, just so full? the Dáil on special occasions when it could stick to such things! (But the only formed itself into a “Committee of the guns they’ve ever stuck to are the ones The Irish News (28 October, 2005) whole House”, raised the matter in her they used to kill all round them in their noted that all sorts had rejected a proposal speech: gory glory days.) which involved a committee and reported “Turning to the motion tabled by Sinn that Dermot Nesbitt was outraged. It didn’t Féin, I recognise that the issue of northern In the event, the Fine Gael and Labour go into any kind of detail. 22 An editorial in The Irish Times (29 whereof he spoke. He was mistaken in his October, 2005) returned to the old canard conclusions but he came to those that “A commitment to provide access to conclusions by way of the facts of the the Oireachtas for Sinn Féin MPs was matter. BARRY'S extracted from the Taoiseach during arms “Why did Bertie propose it in the first decommissioning negotiations last place? COLUMN year…” Incredibly, it claimed that the “Yes, you can say he’s responding to All-Party Committee on the Constitution a long-standing demand from Sinn Féin “…found the Dáil should consider and also to proposals for reforming Dáil TOM BARRY representation that have been in the granting a right of audience to MPs on The paperback extended edition of offing for years. True, but Bertie knows specific Northern issues, on a cross- Mesa Ryan’s book, Tom Barry—IRA community basis. But it worried about better than to rush in with a proposal he must have known would be rejected. Freedom Fighter, was launched to a full the impact this might have on unionist house in the Teachers’ Club, Dublin, on support for the Belfast Agreement and it “So why did he do it? “Politics folks, politics. October 14th. The occasion was organised favoured, instead, the development of a and chaired by Niall Meehan who ironic- North-South parliamentary forum or the “Now no one can say Fianna Fáil did nothing to make the Dáil a truly national ally thanked Professor Peter Hart for system under which Northern helping to cause a much needed debate on representatives are appointed to the chamber. He can always turn to SF and the direction that the writing of Irish history Seanad by the Taoiseach”. tell them he did try to make speaking rights for northerners a reality but that has taken in recent years. Last month we quoted the whole of wasn’t his main reason. Hart is at the cutting edge of the historical the Committee’s recommendation. “In the run up to the next election in revisionism of the kind represented by professor Perhaps we should do so again this month. the Republic, probably in 2007, the Roy Foster. He is so far ahead of the pack that if he is sometimes felt to be an embarrassment, I’ll leave that to the editor. Suffice it to say taoiseach can wrap the green flag round him and point to those parties which he can be cut loose from the rest. Being a it is comprehensively misrepresented here. Canadian facilitates this. frustrated plans to include northerners Revisionism sees the major events which in any shape or form in the Dáil. Brendan O’Connor on the front page led to the creation of the Irish State as “Fine Gael and Labour walked of the Sunday Independent (30 October unnecessary. And because they were straight into it exposing themselves as unnecessary they were therefore wanton acts 2005) took the issue into a grotesque partitionist to their core… of violence, and the individuals involved ranged fairyland of imagined outrage, with not a “…Quite obviously he didn’t want from the misguided to the downright murder- word of truth, or a hint of integrity about last week’s proposal to work any more ous. This was, and is, the British perspective it: than the parties which summarily on Irish history. Revisionism is about replacing an Irish history of Ireland with a British history “The story so far went like this: Pat rejected it. But Bertie walks away with the credit. A classic stroke.” of Ireland. Doherty of Sinn Féin/IRA announced in Another and more insidious aspect of August that Northern MPs would be Brian Feeney missed the point of his own revisionism is its attack on history as a story. allowed to address the Dail. And point. The next Southern election is going As a description and analysis of people and naturally everyone was livid. to turn on Partition. But not in the old events being a consequence of what went “In fairness, people felt, we didn’t nationalist sense of a torrent of empty before and having an effect on what comes really want the representatives of a anti-partitionist rhetoric that just gets old later. (An example would be the teaching in neighbouring state participating in our republicans drunk and young republicans schools about “the Nazis” as a unique evil. As Government, a government of which killed. The next election will turn on something for which no one but the German they don’t even accept the legitimacy. Partition as the crux of a new national Nazis themselves is to blame. Another would politics that will cross the border with a be the notion that the “famines” in Ireland in So Gerry Adams backs it up. the 1840s or in Niger today are caused by crop “Says that Bertie told him in a secret smile in its eyes and a song in its heart, failures or bad weather.) meeting that Sinn Féin MPs could speak asking what all the fuss is about. It’s the Prof. Ruan O’Donnell of Limerick Univer- in the Dáil, on any issue. And we start post-nationalism revisionists have sity, who introduced the launch, said that wondering then what the hell else Bertie nightmares about. proper history implied the necessity of chronologies and the possibility for everyone and Gerry cooked up alone. Ahern’s modest proposal, and it is a “The two of them there in secret, with to access these chronologies. He wondered modest proposal with no constitutional Bertie, the great deal-maker, promising why Mesa Ryan’s story of Tom Barry was anything at all that would keep Gerry ramifications, is the bottom line of that attacked rather than ignored. Barry was known. He lived on long after the events of 1919-23. happy. national politics. He can no more go back on it and win the next election than he can And while being able when necessary to come “Then Bertie says that no actually, he to terms with former foes, he never felt the never said that MPs could speak in the win the next Eurovision Song Contest need to excuse what he’d done, never mind Dáil. Because it’s clear that people aren’t with himself and Michael McDowell apologise for it. And he made periodic into the idea.” singing A Bicycle Built For Two. interventions on behalf of Republicanism throughout his life when he believed And so on, and so on. Ad nauseam. And finally, Bertie has rejected the circumstances called for this. And so on. The Dáil record speaks for idea of Fianna Fáil organising along the Mesa Ryan, in her talk, catalogued many of these interventions. These included his itself and we have repeated the relevant lines of that new national politics by sections of the record time and again. But beatings by the guards in the Beresford Square fighting elections across the border, on never mind all that. Brendan O’Connor “riots” in 1937 alongside Frank Ryan, when the extraordinary grounds that he doesn’t Ryan was on leave from the war in Spain. She knows what he knows and no boring recital want to split the northern nationalist vote included Barry’s disputes with Ryan before of dull facts is going to constitutionalise which is united between Sinn Féin, the this and with Mick O’Riordan later. These stories were apposite as the book him out of his delerium. Well, its his SDLP and some odds and sods on councils delerium and he’s welcome to it. The real launch was attended by Mick O’Riordan, Bob here and there. That leaves Fianna Fáil Doyle, Jack Edwards and Jack Jones, all world has its own rhythms in which its only one way back into government ever, comrades of Frank Ryan’s in the Fifteenth motions continue regardless. So, rock on. COALITION WITH SINN FÉIN. The International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War. Of great importance in the revised edition Brian Feeney (in the Irish News on 2 modest proposal is at least a starting point of Mesa Ryan’s book is her dealing with Peter November) is the only commentator I’ve for those negotiations. Hart’s attacks on Tom Barry over the fight at seen who knew the simple basics of that Joe Keenan Kilmichael in 1920. In Guerilla Days In Ireland, 23 Barry stated that the Auxiliaries made a mock surrender and then killed two of his men when · Biteback · Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback they stood up to take that surrender. and that that was why he gave the order to “fight to the finish”. Hart says that there was no false Letter To Editor surrender and that Barry butchered a defenceless enemy. Hart says his source, who he refuses to Japan & Pearl Harbour name, was a volunteer who fought at Kilmichael. Meda Ryan shows that Hart could I write in response to “Atom Bombs on Japan” by Ted O’Sullivan (Irish Political not have interviewed a Kilmichael veteran Review October 2005, p3), and in particular his comment, “The Japanese {people? RB} when he says he did as they were all dead! served mainly as pawns in a wider game”. This matter is not just important for Tom The Japanese ‘government’ was certainly coaxed by the US into attacking Pearl Harbour, Barry’s reputation, but also for the reputation but could not be described as being a mere pawn or innocent in international affairs. More of the whole IRA during the Black-and-Tan accurately it was a player and was perceived as a competitor to US interests. Internet http:/ War. That war was almost unique in warfare /www.scaruffi.com/politics/japanese.html (as of 18-Oct-2005) has a timeline that includes for the gallantry with which it was fought. The the following entries in the 50 year period before Pearl Harbor: IRA treated its prisoners impeccably, while “1894: Japan invades China (first sino-japanese war). 1895: Japan defeats China and China the British tortured, shot and hanged their is forced to cede Taiwan and recognize Japanese sovereignity over Korea. 1902: Japan signs prisoners. the London treaty with Britain that recognizes Japan’s rights in Korea and Britain’s rights in There was probably another reason for the China. 1904: Japan attacks Russia in Manchuria, destroying the Russian fleet at Port Arthur, revisionists coming into the open to attack and invades Korea. 1905: at the battle of Mukden between Japan and Russia over 100,000 Meda Ryan. They had for some years been the soldiers die. 1905: in the naval Battle of the Tsushima Straits, Japan destroys the Russian fleet. only history game in town. But then they came 1905: Russia withdraws from Manchuria, loses Sakhalin, and recognizes a Japanese protectorate under very effective attack at every turn from over Korea (treaty of Portsmouth), the first time that a non-European country defeats a people outside of academia most of whom European power. 1910: Japan annexes Korea and thereby terminates the Choson dynasty. seemed to them to have Cork accents. Though 1914: World War I breaks out in the Balkans, pitting Britain, France, Italy, Russia, Serbia, at the time there was no connection between USA and Japan against Austria, Germany and Turkey. 1931: Japan invades Manchuria and their tormentors and Meda Ryan, they saw her creates the puppet state of Manchukuo. 1932: the Japanese army institutes the first “comfort as coming from the same stable (or cow-shed). houses” during the battle of Shanghai. 1933: following the condemnation of Japan’s There is a connection now. occupation of Manchuria, Japan Leaves the League of Nations. 1936: Germany and Japan sign the Anti-Comintern Pact (de facto, an anti-Soviet pact). 1937: Japan invades China and FATHER REID captures Nanking (350,000 Chinese are killed and 100,000 women are raped during the “rape The Irish Times got into a very confused of Nanking”). 1938: Japan opens the first wartime facility for “sexual comfort” in Nanjing. lather over Father Alec Reid’s depiction 1939: Japan establishes the “Unit 731” research laboratory for biological warfare in Harbin, China, and tests biological weapons on war prisoners (10,000 die). 1940: Italy, Germany and of the Unionist treatment of Catholics Japan sign the pact of the “axis”. 1940: Japan occupies French Indochina (Vietnam) with over the years as being “in the same approval by France (Vichy government) and announces the intention of creating a “Greater category as Nazis”. It says that such a East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere”. 1940: Japan bombs the Chinese city of Ningbo with fleas claim is “as outrageous as it is untrue”. carrying the bubonic plague. 1941: Japan attacks the USA fleet at Pearl Harbor.” Really? The paper goes on to state that we The 1940 occupation of French Indochina was the US excuse for an embargo on steel, must nevertheless be able to: scrap metal, and oil. Internet http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID =25637 “articulate—in appropriate language— (as of 18-Oct-2005) has Patrick Buchanan writing that FDR did not intend an ‘oil’ embargo, what 53 years of unfettered unionist rule in but was manoueved into it by State Department lawyer Dean Acheson. Buchanan also writes: Northern Ireland was like for the minority “If Japan withdrew from southern Indochina, the United States would partially lift the oil population... There was institutionalised embargo. But Chiang Kai-shek became “hysterical”, and his American adviser, one Owen sectarianism and rampant discrimination Lattimore, intervened to abort the proposal. Facing a choice between death of the empire or in employment, education, housing, fighting for its life, Japan decided to seize the oil fields of the Indies. And the only force capable policing and politics” (Emphasis IT) of interfering was the U.S. fleet that FDR had conveniently moved from San Diego out to Is this not a fair description of the position of Honolulu.” the Jews in Nazi Germany? There was later the deportation and extermination, of course. But The conflict between Japan and the US was a conflict between one imperial power and these occurred in the context of the War in the another. It is unlikely that Japan would have hesitated in using atomic bombs on the US if it East. Who is to say what would have happened could have done so. if West Belfast had been over-run in 1969? The US used atomic bombs against Japan in a situation where it knew that Japan was There were already refugees heading for the seriously considering surrender, and it used them against Japanese civilian targets. South. And is there any reason to believe that Robert Burrage masses of Catholics would not have been deported? And what would have happened if there had been no Free State to take them in? exist in both communities and are very nation realising itself into a mob. Fr. Reid’s Remarks ‘Not Advisable, Says political entities. On the Catholic side politics Fr. Reid’s outburst was about the best Ahern, was the Irish Times headline the next is ingrained and disciplined, so it is with the thing that’s happened in Ulster politics in day. True, but not true. Ahern, as well as “victims’ groups”: Bloody Sunday, the recent times. It has penetrated the make-believe generally praising Reid, emphasised the Finnucane and Nelson campaigns, etc. On world being constructed by the British and provocation offered to the priest at the public the Protestant side, where politics is looked Irish media. (And the politics of codes and meeting where the remarks were made. He down on and is therefore undisciplined, these cyphers being engaged in by almost everyone.) explained how it was natural, if not politic, to groups can behave like a bunch of football We are presented with a potential idyll lash out under such provocation, and made it hooligans. This reflects the way that most of being thwarted by wicked men on both sides, clear that he would probably have done the Unionist politics is carried on. And the though mostly on one side. We are to ignore same himself. situation gets worse as time goes on—as we the real world of Northern Ireland with its two And Reid was provoked. Willie Frazer saw in the recent parades riots. communities polarised more than ever. (The from the Protestant victims’ organisation went We pioneered the idea, 35 years ago, that difference now is that the Catholics are no after him relentlessly as a priest and as a there were two nations in Ireland, and that longer the underdogs.) This situation suits the Catholic. Nothing would have satisfied Frazer any resolution of the problems in the North British establishment perfectly well so long as other than Reid apologising for both and for had to take that fact into account. In other it can keep outbreaks of violence to ‘acceptable the temerity of his community in rebelling contexts we have had occasion to quote levels’. There are no votes in Northern Ireland. against Unionist misrule. (A problem with Patrick Pearse’s description of the Irish people Father Reid has helped to mess things up. attacking Reid is that everyone knows that in the 19th century as a mob realising itself as He has got people talking about cause and what he definitely is not is a Republican, of any a nation. The Ulster Protestant community is effect. And that may lead to solutions beyond variety. In fact, he thinks 1916 was a mistake.) giving the ever increasing impression of a (relatively) peaceful co-existence. Victims’ groups (for want of a better term) 24 Partnership? continued discarded if the EU Constitution becomes The Sins Of The Father law. This Constitution enshrines Free On 1st March 1996, the German Market principles and is likely to declare Government introduced a new law on Union of Ireland general secretary, Bobby any ‘obstacle’ to the free market minimum wages and training standards Carrick said seafarers had been fighting unconstitutional. displacement of crews by Irish Ferries for “This means that a company in Ireland for building workers in that country. The over a year and would continue to do so” can use an agency in a country with new law meant all employers engaged in (Irish Examiner-4.11.2005). inferior wages and conditions to import construction work in Germany had to pay The Irish Independent and its workers. These workers will be subject the same rates to Immigrant workers as to Chairman, Sir A.J.F. O’Reilly are ardent not to Irish law, but to the law of the their German counterparts. backers of globalisation and EU Services country in which the Agency is based. “It was thus unfortunate to read in the Directive, which is one of the reasons Under the new dispensation it would be Irish Times on March 1, 1996, that a people have heard so little of it in the news advantageous to an Irish company to use prominent member of the ICTU media. Journalists in Ireland, like their imported workers, who will not have Executive declared that the decision by Irish entitlements in terms of wages and counterparts in the UK have minds that the German government was not ‘in the conditions. Indeed, once the idea catches best interests of the Irish worker.’ are so addled by Free Market ideology on, companies may be forced to import “The ICTU Executive member that they are incapable of seeing, never such workers in order to remain mind reporting, on anything that affects ‘competitive’. admitted: “…the system had been used the lives of ordinary people. “Understandably, many Trade to employ cheap labour and, while Irish At the Dublin rally on November 3, Unionists in Europe and others are going workers may not have been happy with 2005, Jack O’Connor warned that the berserk over this. They see this, rightly, it, they had been forced to accept. Many proposed EU Services Directive would as a way of undermining social protection Irish workers had moved to Germany allow jobs displacement to spread far wider and leading to higher unemployment in from Britain because of the building than Irish Ferries. ‘old’ Europe. The UK, of course, is in slump there.” “It’s about time that we asserted a favour, therefore no doubt so are the “Only last year, Eithne FitzGerald, few principles and the first of them is Irish establishment. Chirac is against, Minister of Enterprise & Employment that whether a worker is from Dublin or but most believe that he will change his joined the British Tories and IBEC to Cork or Mullingar or Warsaw or Vilnius mind after the French referendum on the oppose and defeat a directive by the EU or Cyprus or from anywhere else in the EU Constitution. There is little said about Social Affairs Council which would have world, we’re here to assert that, here in it in Ireland and this is undoubtedly given Irish construction workers posted Ireland, they have a right to be treated because of the looming referendum on abroad in the EU the same wages, rights with courtesy and dignity and respect,” the EU Constitution. and conditions as workers in the host “The Bolkestein Directive is an said Jack O’Connor. countries, Germany and Holland, etc.” attempt to change Europe in the Anglo- Yes, Jack, the Irish rate and conditions for (Labour Comment, 9.3.1996). American direction—one that at present How the past comes back to haunt us! the job! Nothing less! The same way Irish seems quite acceptable to the ‘New Emigrants in Britain, the U.S., Canada Europe’—the new accession countries. and Australia were treated—as equals. At the moment this block is pro-USA in At The Crossroads economics and foreign policy.” (Irish “The country is at a crossroads, and The Bolkestein Directive Political Review, March, 2005). must now take decisions over the kind of In the March, 2005, issue of Irish workforce it is creating, moving forward. Political Review, we gave the background How many times has Eamonn Roth- “‘This, in our analysis, is a watershed, to the EU Service Directive: well, the Chief Exec. of Irish Ferries read a pivotal issue which will determine the “The Bolkestein Directive is a that Directive? Yes, the European Constit- shape of things for a very long time to directive liberalising services, including utional referendum was defeated in France, come,’ Jack O’Connor told The Sunday employment services, throughout the which seriously altered the game plan. Business Post.” (30.10.2005). EU. The way it works is that a factory Had it succeeded and a referendum was owner in Ireland, for example, can decide If trade unionists cannot grasp this, to use, for example, a Latvian held in Ireland, would not the Labour Party, the ICTU and even, SIPTU have we’ll quote the US magazine Newsweek employment agency to supply him with which gave its prescription to Ireland’s labour services (factory workers). campaigned in its favour—of course they ‘ills’: “The Directive will make it almost would. But along comes Irish Ferries! impossible to apply Irish employment At the SIPTU Conference in Cork on “Prosperity has come at the cost of laws, pay, and conditions to workers 3rd October 2005, a motion calling for delaying confrontation with some powerful vested interests, whether registered with the Latvian company. SIPTU to oppose the proposed EU businessmen or union leaders,” the The aim of the Directive is to reduce Constitution was defeated by a 4-1 administrative ‘obstacles’ (such as magazine says. majority. Surely here was an opportunity “A dose of British-style privatisation employment inspections) to services to show some leadership and resolution across the European Union. It also and swifter deregulation may be needed enshrines the principle that the laws by clearly voting against a Constitution to add zest to the domestic economy.” applying to the service will be determined which at present espouses stark Free (Irish Independent, 28.10.2005). by the ‘country of origin’ of the company Market values. It wouldn’t necessarily supplying the service. There is a mean that SIPTU was opposed to a If in the so-called ‘good times’ we derogation of this principle for employ- Constitution per se but that they would cannot stand our social and economic ees working in a different country to the only support a Constitution which ground, God help us when the hard times country of origin of their company. advocated genuine social values. arrive. However, this looks like a ‘fig leaf’. The It may have been a case of opposing inspectors in the above example can be the singer, Kieran Allen, and not the song P.S.—As we go to press (7.11.2005), Strike from the country of origin (i.e. Latvia). but in times like these we should be sending action by postal workers, which began this Will Latvian inspectors apply Irish law morning, is likely to be called off by this out a clear message to Ahern and rigorously? afternoon after An Post agreed to an “But even this ‘fig leaf’ may be McCreevy! independent review of its costs.

25 Partnership? continued because the government won’t agree to a the Swedish stance was not compatible national pay deal, a benchmarking award with EU treaties, particularly article 49 and another bit of the cherry”. on the freedom to provide services. couldn’t get rid of them fast enough. There’s a man who knows which side “The commission did not call into Perhaps the events in Paris for the past is bread is buttered on! question the organisation of labour week might require them to re-think! relations or collective agreements in But failing to reproduce ourselves, we The ‘Real’ Taoiseach McCreevy? Sweden or any other member state, he need the numbers to fill TESCO and our On 25th October 2005, Commissioner said. However, there was a broader issue investment in new apartments and McCreevy faced his critics in the European of the development of the internal market shopping centres, and, yes, somebody to Parliament. Socialist MEPs who launched and he had a ‘duty’ to express his view. serve the cappuccino. a series of “stinging attacks against him, “I find it extraordinary that I have to complaining his policies were too right- justify remarks made about an incident that raises questions of compatibility Trade Unions Against Partnership wing” and some felt were an attack on with article 49,” Mr. McCreevy said. ‘I Ireland’s third largest union has pulled Sweden’s social partnership. will continue to express my opinions out of talks on a new Social Partnership The conservatives and liberals backed loud and clear and I don’t care if they deal for the first time in 20 years. Mr. McCreevy and accused their left- upset some people.” MANDATE, representing more than leaning colleagues of populism. “He was not expressing a view that 40,000 pub and retail trade workers, But the socialists argued the whole any social model was better or worse announced that it is boycotting talks on a debate was about the quality of jobs than another, but defending rights laid successor to the Sustaining Progress Europeans want. down in the treaty. (Irish Times, agreement. Socialist leader, Martin Schultz 26.10.2005). MANDATE claims that low and advised the Commission President to “put A legal case is now before the European middle-income earners are effectively the brakes” on “neo-liberal” Commis- Courts to decide whether Swedish rules or being ignored in the current round of sioners such as Mr. McCreevy or the less restrictive EU internal market laws negotiations. Dutch Neelie Kroes, in charge of competi- should apply. Besides MANDATE, the Irish Bank tion, to demonstrate support for the Officials Association (IBOA), AMICUS, European social model and to receive the Dublin Trade Union Demonstration and engineers in the TEEU are opposed to group’s support. According to the Irish Independent, the “one size fits all” centralised pay deal But the Commissioner also received 5,000 workers took to the streets of Dublin in the Social Partnership talks. some strong support, with some coming on 3rd November 2005, to protest at plans These unions are also pressing for a from unlikely sources, including Ian to replace Irish Ferries’ workers with local bargaining clause in addition to a Paisley’s DUP. cheaper foreign labour. centralised wage deal. The party’s sole MEP, Jim Allister, The report by Gerald Flynn, Industrial This would mean that unions would spoke out on behalf of Mr. McCreevy. Correspondent, sarcastically referred to have the right to negotiate additional “I rarely see it as a function of mine to “mainly middle-aged workers, marched increases from profitable companies on defend the commission. Just occasionally through the streets of the capital wearing top of the national wage agreement. they may say eminently sensible things,” bright orange and yellow high-visibility “There is an ‘inability to pay’ clause he said. jackets”. I know there is a law against However, there was a low turnout when for employers,” said one source. “By the ageism, it looks as if we may have to same token, there should be an ‘ability the Commissioner, backed by Commission secure one on ‘middle-ageism’. I have to pay’ clause based on profitability and President, Jose Manuel Barroso, came never seen the Irish Independent refer to productivity.” before them. IFA marches in these terms. “If members of this house expect me Earlier in the week, Mr. Flynn men- But divisions are emerging among the to creep around quietly… then I’m afraid tioned that unions had not specified “if public sector unions, with the Irish Nurses’ they’re going to be disappointed,’ they want members to leave work to Organisation (INO) supporting local McCreevy told them. bargaining for its own members based on He said he should not have to justify support their action” (1.11.2005). He then productivity. This is opposed by IMPACT, remarks he made in relation to a legal recalled a previous SIPTU demonstration, which insists that local bargaining is not a dispute between the Swedish government nearly four years ago: a demand for a runner in the public sector. and a Latvian construction firm over wage minimum of three weeks’ statutory redun- Liam Doran, General Secretary of the agreements. dancy when fewer than 2,000 people took INO, said that “flexible local bargaining” McCreevy “insists that as someone part. —rather than benchmarking—represented who was involved in the social partnership “This time the organisers would need the way forward for nurses, as it would in Ireland between unions and employers, up to 10,000 participants—just one in allow the examination of productivity and he wouldn’t attack it elsewhere in the fifty of their members—to show broad- based support for their campaign.” grades “on their merits”. EU”. “We don’t believe that ‘one size fits “A Swedish building contract On the following day, November 2, all’ is the way forward and would say awarded to the Latvian company was 2005, he had a headline: “Unions split that local bargaining would also work in withdrawn and the company subse- down middle over planned protest rally to the public sector, as it would give unions quently went bankrupt after the Swedish the Dail”. “Although the march has the the freedom to negotiate specifically for construction union, BYGGNADS, backing of 15 of the largest trade unions, grades they represent—such as in the blockaded the firm’s site. The union it is not being supported by the Seaman’s health sector,” said Doran. took action against the firm after it Union of Ireland (SUI). refused to sign a Swedish wage Yet on the day of the march, the However, Bernard Harbor of IMPACT agreement. demonstration was addressed by the was adamant that “local bargaining is not “Mr. McCreevy has come in for General Secretary of the SUI: “Seaman’s going to happen in the public sector criticism for publicly commenting that continued on page 25 26 Partnership? continued spoke of. actually 11% higher than those in the “I believe that the Taoiseach meant private sector. A more recent statement what he said when he drafted that letter. by the Irish Small and Medium-sized that’s not the type of country we stand I believe that he meant what he said Enterprises Association, ISME, asserted for…’ Nobody in the business commun- when he condemned the action of Irish that public-sector pay was now 41% ity has come out to take a moral stance Ferries proposed to take. But I think that higher than private-sector pay. on the exploitation of workers.” the Government and the Taoiseach are “IMPACT, a leading public-sector “Business organisations had queued presented with a challenge into how union, has criticised the comparison. up, however, to condemn the workers in they can give practical effect to their The figures in the second O’Leary paper, An Post who were threatening to strike public statements,” he said. they argue, compare apples and oranges from next week. These workers, said Jack O’Connor also warned delegates that in that they compare public-sector Mr. Begg, had acted in full accordance deferring entering talks should not be taken workers with workers in industry. Public with the terms of Sustaining Progress.” lightly. servants are better educated and more Mr. Begg said the “light touch” labour “Think long and hard before you vote capable than industrial workers and market regulation currently in place was for this motion because it could mean should earn more than them, according no longer sustainable in the context of the that we could be out of social partnership. to IMPACT. Better to compare public- opening of the Irish labour market to service pay with more educated workers citizens of the new EU states. ****************************************************************** in the private sector, they say.” (Irish “None of the leaders of the 40 unions “I have no doubt that we will take Times,18.10.2005). represented chose to address the punishment. But I am absolutely “One for all, all for One”. How are you, conference, which ended after just 30 confident that we’ll inflict it as well if Brothers, sorry, Half-Brothers. Some are minutes, reflecting a growing sense of the need arises”, said O’Connor. (The more equal than others! confusion in senior union ranks,” Sunday Business Post, 30.10.2005). according to the Irish Independent, IMMIGRATION ****************************************************************** 26.10.2005. “O’Connor believes the root of the “In a repeat of the last pay negotiations “There would be plenty of forces that problem lies in the government’s in April, 2004, SIPTU, as the largest would like to see us out of the talks and decision to adopt an open border strategy union, has effectively dictated the it could be a long time before we get our from day one with the new EU accession Congress position, much to the feet under the table again.” he said. states without the same level of regulat- annoyance of some public service union While Mr. Ahern responded by saying ion and enforcement that other countries bosses.” (ibid). partnership was impossible without such as Sweden, which have similar Last year SIPTU forced a seven-week SIPTU, Mr. O’Connor said the cause of policies. ‘We welcome that decision delay in pay talks over the restructuring of workers’ rights would be far more difficult because we need to build this economy to achieve outside partnership. “It is our Aer Rianta and protection of employment and it’s not possible without a high degree analysis that partnership is the best way standards in areas like cleaning, catering, of migrant labour, but if you’re to do to do it… We’re not going to say that it’s that, then the corollary is a level of the construction industry and security impossible to do it otherwise but it’s very services. regulation and enforcement that is equal very difficult indeed.” in dimension,’ said O’Connor. SIPTU has 77 votes out of 399—just Before their National Delegate meeting “Only two other countries did this— under 20%—of the votes at any ICTU in Cork on 3rd October 2005, there was a Britain and Sweden. The effect of that is conference. lot of annoyance among SIPTU’s National unique in the history of the developed world as it brings about a situation where “Only last Thursday, Congress Executive over what was considered countries with a population of more than President Peter McLoone, whose union pressure by Congress President Peter 75 million are feeding into a labour has 34 votes, said that entering a new McLoone to secure a vote in favour of market of three countries with a total national agreement with employers and entering talks on a successor to Sustaining population of 60 million.” (Jack the Government was ‘capable of Progress. O’Connor, President, SIPTU, The delivering an agreed framework to Sunday Business Post, 30.10.2005). prevent a ‘race to the bottom’ of pay and Mr. McLoone, who heads up the rival And one country, the Irish Republic has a working conditions.” (Irish Independent, IMPACT public service union advised population of four million people. 25.10.2005). union members that “a new national agreement could be a vehicle for stopping a ‘race to the bottom’ in pay and working It is absolutely incredible that nobody SIPTU DELEGATE CONFERENCE conditions in an increasingly global seen this coming. But then you cannot say At the SIPTU Delegate Conference, economy”. ‘boo’ in relation to Immigration here at over 430 delegates were— He warned rival unions “not to talk the moment. Multiculturalism is the in- “handed copies of a letter from themselves out of a deal before discussions thing with the chattering classes, they all Taoiseach Bertie Ahern sent over the even begin” which was interpreted by want their cappuccino served by a Russian weekend to assuage union leaders’ fears some senior SIPTU members as or Latvian maid. Of course, none of these of further ‘social dumping’. interference in their deliberations. people give a damn what wage or “He wrote that ‘we do not want to see SIPTU has the largest public sector conditions these young foreigners receive. people building competitive advantage base, although about two-thirds of its To tell the truth, did they ever give a damn based on poor wages, casualisation of membership are in the private sector. about the wages and conditions of their labour, low health and safety standards own native workers? They did not. in any new talks.” (Irish Independent, If one was to take it at face value, or at 25.10.2005). BENCHMARKING “A subsequent paper by O’Leary, the word of the media, the opinion shapers: the welcome Immigrants receive is SIPTU President, Jack O’Connor said Rory McElligott and Gerry Boyle, Public-Private Wage Differentials in incredible when compared with the manner the union would need further details the same community treated their own explaining how the Government would Ireland, 1994-2001, concluded that pre- benchmarking public pay levels were emigrants not too many years ago. They implement any of the measures Mr. Ahern continued on page 26 27 VOLUME 23 No. 11 CORK ISSN 0790-1712 No Irish Need Apply? The very fact that the Irish Ferries On top of that, the ICTU gave unequi- followed a similar decision by the Services, proposal to replace 500 native crew with vocal support for each EU referendum Industrial, Professional and Technical foreign seafarers at a third of the current held, whilst all the while, the globalisers Union (SIPTU) the previous day, when all rate of wages is even contemplated, tells were eroding every progressive social but one of the 450 delegates at a Special you the direction the labour market is aspect of the European Union. SIPTU conference voted in favour of a heading. On the one hand, the Taoiseach dishes motion for the union to stay away from That it now appears to be legally out letters of comfort, hither and thither, negotiations until the Government had acceptable, that we cannot stop it—even while his former Finance Minister Mc offered more “tangible” measures to the Dail is powerless—tells how prevalent Creevy, is trooping around Europe prevent worker displacement and staff global thinking has become the norm in promulgating the “Irish Ferries” and exploitation. Jack O’Connor, General property mad Ireland. “GAMA” formulas for a new Europe free President stated that Ireland risks “And we have made it very clear that of social and industrial constraints—who’s becoming an “exploiter’s paradise”. we will not acquiesce with a Race to the kidding who? Bottom in employment standards, what- There’s a price for everything. It’s The SIPTU position arises directly ever the consequences. The key question pay-back time for Irish workers. We are from the row over Irish Ferries’ plan to is the attitude of the Government. Apart now starting to pay for Tiger Ireland’s replace hundreds of unionised seafarers from the Taoiseach’s condemnation of embracement of a global economy. with cheaper labour from Eastern Europe. Irish Ferries, he is on record more than SIPTU and other unions claim the Irish once over the past two years declaring At a Special Delegate Conference of he does not wish to see a Race to the Ferries move is part of a ‘race to the Bottom. But is the Government prepared the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) bottom’ in employment standards which to act? Right now, I cannot assure you, on October 25, 2005, over 400 delegates is also being experienced in other sectors, with any degree of confidence, that talks deferred a decision on whether to including construction. on a new national agreement can result participate in Partnership talks with the SIPTU also argues that Government in tangible measures to prevent displace- Government. opposition to the EU Ferries’ Directive ment, curb exploitation or protect The opposition to social partnership and EU legislation to protect agency employment standards.” (Jack O’Con- talks comes after months of controversy employees indicated it was not committed nor, President, SIPTU, Cork, 3.10.2005). over the way the Government has handled to combating ‘social dumping’. the disputes over Irish Ferries, Gama So this is where the Trade Union move- Construction and, most recently, An Post. Addressing the ICTU conference, ment finds itself—after 18 years of ‘part- The decision was unanimous and General Secretary David Begg criticised nership’ agreements, ‘the envy of trade the business community for its unionists throughout Europe’! What was Subscribers to the magazine are regularly offered special rates on other publications ‘ambivalent’ stance on the issue. it all for? Was it not in truth a Pay Deal, Employers, he said, put such a priority on with a social pickle or two thrown in? Irish Political Review is published by the IPR Group: write to— competitiveness that it seemed almost anything else was acceptable. In an economy rampant with excessive PO Box 339, Belfast BT12 4GQ or “This begs one to ask the question: is prices—the only commodity under control PO Box 6589, London, N7 6SG. there no threshold of decency below which is wages! It was an employers’ dream and Labour Comment, the objectives of competitiveness will not having provided them with super profits C/O Shandon St. P.O., Cork City drag us?” He questioned why apparently and wealth, they have decided they need no one in the business sector had felt a us no longer. Subscription by Post: ‘moral obligation’ to deprecate what was Jack O’Connor now admits that the Euro 25 / £17.50 for 12 issues happening at Irish Ferries or to deplore the “Open Door” for the new accession states Electronic Subscription: displacement of workers in other areas of on May 1, 2005, is turning out to be an Euro 15 / £12 for 12 issues the economy. unmitigated disaster for Irish workers. (or Euro 1.30 / £1.10 per issue) “Nobody in the business community The state doesn’t even have an You can also order both postal and was willing to come out and say, ‘No, Immigration policy. electronic subscriptions from: www.atholbooks.org continued on page 27