Iran's Bomb? Raymond Crotty's Mondragon. Part 4 David Morrison Appeal To England Labour Comment

page 8 page 12 back page IRISH POLITICAL REVIEW February 2012 Vol.27, No.2 ISSN 0790-7672 and Northern Star incorporating Workers' Weekly Vol.26 No.2 ISSN 954-5891

The Euro The Right To Desert Realities And "Minister for Defence, Alan Shatter, has said that serious examination is taking place Abstractions into the possible pardoning of Irish soldiers who deserted from the Defence forces to fight for the Allies in World War 2. Speaking on Morning Ireland Minister Shatter said these Recent developments to secure the soldiers had fought against fascism and contributed to the future of freedom and Euro, and the new inter-Governmental democracy in Europe. He said they were penalised by a regulation barring them from being arrangements to do so, have left our EU- employed in any public service job. He welcomed the passing of a motion in the Stormont ophiles talking and writing the most awful Assembly earlier this week calling for a pardon for the soldiers. Minister Shatter said he rubbish. The EU has had to be cast aside believes that it is right that the Republic of Ireland now revisit how this issue was dealt with as ineffective and now the EU structure is historically" (RTE Online, 25 January). being used by the British Government as The motion at Stormont not only demanded that the deserters to the enemy should be the best way to prevent the Euro being a pardoned, but that there should be an official Apology because their right of desertion success. The choice is plain—the EU or was not recognised. the Euro! But that is the last thing that any Sinn Fein supported the Stormont motion, which was proposed by the DUP. But, of EUophile will say. He/she will try to have course, Sinn Fein in the 1940s did not recognised the 26 County regime as a legitimately- it every which way. The Commission's constituted State. Nor did it do so for half a century after the end of the World War. And top civil servant, Catherine Day, was at it it is still, on occasion, accused of not recognising it in earnest by the governing party in Dublin last month. which is seriously considering honouring the deserters from the Irish Army to join the "Ms Day, the Irish woman who has British Army—at a moment when the British Prime Minister was reasserting a right of been secretary general of the commission military intervention in the Irish state. since 2005, told the Institute of Inter- If the Dail complies with the DUP/Sinn Fein motion, it will substantiate Sinn Fein national European Affairs in Dublin yesterday the future shape of the EU was scepticism about its legitimacy. States assert a monopoly right on the use of force. The currently being determined. The trad- converse of this is that, in democratic states, the apparatus of force of the State must be itional “community method” of doing unconditionally obedient to the elected Government of the state. A State which accords business was being challenged by an a right to its soldiers in time of war, not only to desert but to join the Army of a hostile inter-governmental approach dominated State is, to put it at its mildest, an inadequate state, doubtful of its right to independent by the larger states" (The Irish Times, existence. January 6, 2012). The Irish Army was not a conscript army: soldiers were all volunteers—and it had It is not "being challenged"—the Com- been open to the men in question to go and volunteer in the UK. Many did so and did munity method was challenged, lost and continued on page 2 continued on page 6

We also were to be given the worst Deserters: Ireland A Fascist State? treatment possible, because as you know The Irish Times published the following letter from a lady who had clearly been Ireland did not like the British. The Irish traumatised in its issue of 27th January government gave the British government "Pardon on way for Irish who fought, was in the British forces, and then have it the bill for the children and the British according to Minister for Defence, Alan put on your records (like it stated on my government paid. Shatter… records that went in with me to the The Irish people who did join the British That is good news. But now let him take industrial school at the age of three years forces must have been the bravest people a good look at what happened to soldiers’ old). Letters that were sent to the industrial going, knowing that they were very likely children, charged and taken to court by the school from the parents were sent on to the to face death; to find that if they made it NSPCC and the ISPCC, to be criminally Department of Education. So the children back home to Ireland, their own govern- charged and sentenced to an industrial never got to see their parents; the Depart- ment and people rejected them: and this is school for up to 16 years or life. Yes, I ment of Education and the nuns made us supposed to be a good Christian country. mean life, because the nuns could have orphans. When we were released from the Ireland did not just incarcerate its own you sent to a Magdalene Laundry or a industrial schools there was no family to children; it also incarcerated a lot of foreign mental institution just because your father turn to. children in the industrial schools as well. continued on page 7 preparation had been made) was in collapse. The issue for the British Government then C O N T E N T S was whether to limit the War in the light of Page the military fiasco in France, and make a The Right To Desert. Editorial 1 settlement as France did, or to use British The Euro: Realities And Abstractions. Jack Lane 1 naval dominance to keep the War going Deserters: Ireland A Fascist State? Report 1 and try to embroil the world in it. Readers' Letters: Views Of Sinn Fein. Stephen Richards 3 There was argument within the British Iran Not Trying To Develop A Nuclear Weapon Cabinet on the issue. Churchill, despite —US Defence Secretary Panetta. David Morrison 8 his notorious reputation as a warmonger, Not Sufficient To Be Sour. Jack Lane responds to Desmond Fennell 9 had his way. He kept the War going with Shorts from the Long Fellow (Pensioners; Failed States; When Was Independence?; very little British fighting, spreading it The Media And Change; Mary Raftery; 'Unexpected' Death) 11 piecemeal for a year, until he gained Stalin Raymond Crotty's Appeal To England: as an ally and the catastrophic phase of the Introduction. Brendan Clifford 12 War began. Eire: A Land Where Emigrants Are Born. Raymond Crotty 12 Some Comments On Raymond Crotty's Article. John Martin 13 That Britain might have adopted a Es Ahora. Julianne Herlihy (Elizabeth Bowen, Lies, Spies & Academics different course of action, either in 1939 —Qui Bono?; CUP & Einbhear Walshe) 15 or in June 1940, is not allowed by the Deserters And Their Champions Equally Unworthy Of Trust. Churchillian mythology of the War And, Donal Kennedy (Unpublished Letter) 16 though Ireland maintained its neutrality in 'The Further One Gets From Belfast'. Niall Meehan replies to Jeff Dudgeon 17 the face of Churchill's threats, it failed to The 1934 Larkin Affidavit: A Comment. Jeff Dudgeon replies to produce a history of the War from its own Manus O'Riordan 21 viewpoint subsequently and therefore fell Crozier Antidotes For Hart Maladies. Manus O'Riordan 23 under the spell of the mesmeric myth cast Items From The Irish Bulletin, 1919. Number 7 27 by Churchill. Does It Stack Up? Michael Stack (Inside Job; Corporation Tax; Fee-Paying The object of almost all British history- And Public Schools; Ultra-Privileged Schools) 28 writing is to make the possibility of a Needs Sectioned? Wilson John Haire (Poem) 29 different course of action from the course chosen by Britain unthinkable. What Labour Comment, edited by Pat Maloney: Britain did was the only thing to do and The Guilds And Capitalism anybody who does not agree is a scoundrel. Mondragon, Part 4 (back page) But the revisionists who dominate Irish academic history in the British interest Due to pressure of space, it has been necessary to hold over a number of items, argue the exact opposite case with regard including Naval Warfare, Part 18 by Pat Walsh to Irish history. They charge nationalists with the fallacy of holding that there was not suffer adverse consequences. the War declared on it by Britain. Britain an inevitable, predestined course of events The Irish Times—the newspaper that held a quarter of the island and was exerting leading to the formation of an independent Britain left behind it in Ireland when it had pressure on the other three-quarters to Irish state. They assert that history happens to leave—did some stirring on this issue facilitate its war effort. through a serious of complicated conjunct- over a year ago. It complained that: ures, and that in each conjuncture something "Soldiers who deserted but did not join The possibility of Irish neutrality had different might have been done. But, the British army were treated differently: come about only a year before Britain when it comes to consideration of British Some were not even arrested, and their launched the War on Germany. It was the history, they comply happily with the names were left off the list" (8 Nov. Appeasers who brought it about by orthodoxy of the Churchillian myth. There 2010). vacating the three Ports which they held were no reasonable alternatives to what The list in question was a blacklist, under the terms of the dictated 'Treaty' of Churchill did! which barred those concerned from public 1921 and transferring them to Irish sove- employment for seven years. reignty. The great Anti-Appeaser, Chur- Churchill did not occupy Southern Ire- Is there not, then, a substantial differ- chill, denounced the action at the time, land, though he asserted the right to do so. ence between soldiers who just desert and when he was the "voice in the wilderness". Occupation was not expedient. His spies those who go into the service of a potential He was brought back into the British reported to him that occupation would be enemy? Cabinet when war was declared a year met by all-out resistance by all political later, and he urged that the Irish declaration tendencies, so on balance he did not do it. The Irish Government asserted neutral- of neutrality should be treated as nonsense. But he did not make a virtue of expediency. ity against Britain in 1939 and sustained it But the Arch-Appeaser, Chamberlain, who At the end of the War he reasserted the until 1945 with the support of the Oppos- had given the Irish back the Ports, remained right to occupy Southern Ireland that he ition parties, including the party for which Prime Minister for nine months after he had asserted at the outset. Mr. Shatter now speaks. That the declara- declared war and he would not revoke his It was through determination in all tion of neutrality was made against Britain agreement with the Irish. quarters to resist British occupation that was not in doubt at the time. Germany When Churchill eventually became the Free State Army took on the character made no claims on Ireland. Its concern Prime Minister in May 1940, the British of a national army. It was in origin a with Ireland was entirely in the context of war offensive (for which no serious mercenary force recruited by Collins, and 2 armed and paid for by Britain, to impose the Treaty and break the Republican Army LETTERS TO THE EDITOR · LETTERS TO THE EDITOR· LETTERS TO THE EDITOR· that had fought Britain to the negotiating table after it had treated the electoral process with contempt. Collins might have remained the militarist icon, but the character of the force was changed, and Views Of Sinn Fein the rupture of the Treaty War was overcome I was interested in the responses, editorial and from Wilson John Haire, that appeared to a considerable extent—by the collabor- in December and January Irish Political Review to my letter of November [The ation of all parties, except the Sinn Fein Presidency And Sinn Fein, November Irish Political Review]. What interested me was holdouts, in serious preparation for the failure to engage substantively with the points I was making, the good points and, no resistance to another British occupation. doubt, the less good. As Philip Larkin's tutor said of him, I can understand a point when If that is now to be trivialised by it's explained to me. To that extent therefore, the lack of explanation tends to make my honouring deserters to the British Army, points for me. it should at least be admitted that Sinn To be cited as an example of communal antagonism in action is certainly vexing, when Fein scepticism was well-founded. I had made clear that I felt a degree of contempt for both the DUP and Sinn Fein, who have both traded their way to fortune on the back of communal antagonism. Wilson John Mr. Shatter—who is Minister for Justice Haire then weighed in with talk of the ferocity of my outburst. Well, I suppose I'm guilty and Equality, as well as for Defence— of ferocious outbursts from time to time, but usually only when there's no milk for my said in another statement that the neutrality porridge, or when some of the cats get at the butter. of the State, in which he is a Government I have to assure Wilson John Haire that any notions I might once have had about my Minister, in Britain's Second World War intellectual ability have long since been knocked out of me, but I do have some "was a principle of moral bankruptcy", intellectual curiosity, which is why for the last thirty three years I've been devouring and he described the deserters from the everything that has come out of Athol Street. Maybe I haven't profited as I should, maybe Irish Army to the Army of the British I was too influenced by Brendan Clifford before he slowly turned round, or maybe I'm Empire as "members of our Defence just a "thran" Unionist. But what I sense is the absence of any appetite to analyse the very Forces who left this island during that strange development of Sinn Fein from the early 1990s on. So, not much intellectual time to fight for freedom". curiosity in the pages of Irish Political Review in that regard these days. A word needs to be said about this I also find it peculiar that Brendan and others in their anxiety to demonstrate that the legendary "fight for freedom", and how it IRA of 1919 to 1921 was not engaged in sectarian murder fail to consider the evidence was that the Irish State which Mr. Shatter that the Provisional IRA (like its "Loyalist" counterparts) was so engaged. Unlike Wilson serves had to fight Britain for its freedom John Haire, I don't believe that Northern Ireland is a better place for that Provisional after voting for it; and how the British campaign. On the basis of the volte face that Sinn Fein not so elegantly executed we now Empire, which had denied Irish freedom know that the deaths were needless deaths. until Ireland made itself too hot to handle, Brendan Clifford has argued powerfully for the potency of the 1918 election result in suddenly became the belligerent champion Ireland as a validation of the war that followed. That there was a sizeable minority in the of general freedom; and how the Irish whole island which was stubbornly opposed to Sinn Fein shouldn't stand in the way of State failed to see that the Empire, from the march of a nation. Very well then. The Provisional campaign was conducted on which it had escaped so recently and with behalf of a minority of a minority and in the face of not just one but a whole series of such pain, made itself morally bankrupt election results, which the obnoxious method of government set up in 1921 doesn't by failing to recognise the obvious fact cancel out. Northern Ireland was reduced to a human and economic wasteland on foot that that Empire had been transformed, of a dogged denial of the national rights of a majority. The democratic rationale of the "in the twinkling of an eye", into the IRA campaign was therefore more akin to that of the Black and Tans, as was the method champion of general freedom, and to make of warfare. It's a strange liberation movement that ends up killing many of the "fellow- itself available for the Empire's war effort. Irishmen and women" that are meant to be the beneficiaries of the liberation. It's like the villages in Viet Nam that had to be destroyed in order to be saved. Minister Shatter did not support his And at the end of this 25 year long bloody campaign its leaders, who had sent many idealistic anathema against his own state with a young volunteers to their deaths, and had raised communal tensions to an unprecedented pitch, decided to embark on a process that would end up with them becoming ministers of the Crown in word of explanation. It appears self- a partitionist assembly. The "war" was bad enough; the hypocrisy of the peace process was evident to him that the Empire had under- astonishing. The deaths were consigned to a cloud of unmeaning. The last chapter of Animal Farm gone a marvellous transformation during comes to mind. the brief interval since its war against Irish As Brendan Clifford writes of Cromwell, at the end of all this the Provos "had achieved freedom. But, since it isn't everybody precisely nothing", in terms of their stated ideology. The present Sinn Fein critique of the who is capable of seeing visions like that, dissidents is therefore incoherent. The conduct of the dissidents is deplorable, but I don't we must try to puzzle it out. see how it can possibly be so from a Sinn Fein perspective. The dissident campaign may be equally devoid of democratic legitimacy but it is perhaps slightly less dishonourable In the "war that brought freedom to than that of the Provos. At least the dissidents don't engage in wanton sectarian murder. Europe" there were at least two, fundamentally I'm sorry to have to labour these points, which I wouldn't do but for the studied refusal -antagonistic, conceptions of Freed on the of Irish Political Review to engage in lively debate about them. No doubt there are winning side: and those two Freedoms counter-arguments to blow me out of the water; it's just that so far I haven't heard them. would probably have produced another I don't expect to hear them from Sinn Fein whose approach is like that of the Duke of world war after the defeat of Germany, Wellington—"never apologise, never explain"—but I would have liked to come across but for the deterrent effect of nuclear some half-decent explanation in the pages of Irish Political Review, instead of ad weapons. hominem type rebuttals. It was Russia that broke the military Stephen Richards continued on page 4 3 power of Germany. Britain scrambled RTE a couple of years ago broadcast a If Minister Shatter is allowed to proceed back onto the Continent four years after couple of programmes about Ireland's with his intention to overrule the decision deserting France. Facing a German Army complicity in Evil, because of its neutrality. taken by the Government of the day about that had been gutted by the Red Army and The late Cathal O'Shannon, son of the deserters from the Irish Army to the British, that had most of its remaining power dep- Connolly socialist of that name, was a on the basis that the deserters contributed loyed in the East, it took the British and central figure in them. He explained how to war against Fascism and therefore Americans most of a year to get into the he went off to fight Fascism (though not as placed themselves above national law heart of Germany and meet the Russians a deserter) and his act was not properly while the Government of the day was there. The long delay about opening the appreciated when he came back. But it morally bankrupt, it should at least be Second Front, and then the long delay turned out that where he had fought done on a case by case basis, taking account about pressing on into Germany were Fascism, in an RAF uniform, was in of the fact that Britain was an Imperialist caused by Britain. But the Western Allies Burma/Myanmar. This was problematical, Power in this war, and that it waged war did eventually get there. since Burma had been a country conquered against other things than Fascism. At the by the British Empire and subject to very least, participation in the British After Germany had surrendered, two Imperialist oppression until it was liberated Imperialist attempt to undo the Japanese nuclear bombs were dropped on Japanese by Japan, after Japan was given an ulti- liberation of Burma should not be counted civilians, even though the excuse the matum effectively demanding its surrender as anti-fascist action. Western scientists gave themselves for and it decided to fight instead. concentrating on the production of weap- Japan had been the protector of the If Fascism is to be the justification of ons that they knew to be horrendous was British Empire in Asia during the 1914 desertion to the enemy, Minister should that they had to make them before the War. It was humiliated at the post-War say something about the fact that his own Germans did. Congress at Versailles, at which the League party, Fine Gael, was a fascist party during Europe was freed from Nazism by the of Nations was founded, when its proposal the fascist era of the 1930s. He should antagonistic freedoms of Communism and for a declaration of racial equality was also mention that the reason Ireland did Imperialism, with their antagonist notions rejected. Then Britain, acting under Amer- not become fascist was that Fianna Fail of democracy. Each denied that what the ican pressure, refused to renew its Alliance (now described as the morally bankrupt other brought to Europe was Freedom. with Japan. In the practice of international party) held the ring for Parliamentary And in post-Nazi, anti-Nazi Germany the affairs, that meant that Britain marked it democracy throughout the 1930s. force that broke the power of Nazism was down as an enemy. And then Britain in banned. (We refer to the Communist 1941 seconded an American ultimatum Shatter's remarks on moral bankruptcy movement.) with which Japan could not comply with- were made at the opening of an exhibition out ruining its economy. Japan responded on the Shoah (Jewish Holocaust) in his Britain collaborated with Nazi Germany by bombing an American naval base in Department. They were accompanied by for five years. It then decided to make war the middle of the Pacific and by running a statement that "the doors of the Irish on it, but everything it did in that War led through the British Empire in Asia. state were firmly closed to Jewish families to an increase in the power of Nazi It was then defeated by America, but fleeing from persecution". (It has become Germany. The British policy of spreading the British Empire never recovered, though necessary to specify 'Jewish' Holocaust the war, after its abandonment of France, not through want of trying. Burmese because there is now to be another official led to the extension of Nazi power by Independence was proclaimed under Holocaust. The French Parliament is to effective defensive actions. Japanese auspices. When Cathal O'Shan- decree that the Turkish treatment of the non and the British Army tried to force Armenians who were roused to rebellion The USA used nuclear weapons against Burma back under Imperial rule, the Burm- by Tsarist Russian propaganda in the Great Japanese civilians three months after ese wouldn't have it. Whatever O'Shannon War was genocide and that it is a crime to Germany surrendered. Churchill wanted did in Burma, he did as an Imperialist question this. No notice is taken of the the Soviet Union nuclear-bombed. But he oppressor putting down Freedom at the many peoples who were literally extermin- was voted out of Office, the Labour drag end of Empire. ated during the expansion of Anglo-Saxon Government was slow to shrug off the power in the world.) Britain had to give up Burma to a Burm- wartime propaganda about the Soviet A supporter of Shatter's project has ese independence movement inspired by friend and ally, and Britain did not have its commented that General Franco kept an Sinn Fein and made effective by Japan. own nuclear bomb anyway for a few years open door in Spain for Jewish refugees, Churchill was outraged. He said that the more. unlike De Valera. And it was the case that Burmese leader, Aung San, should be After the surrender of Germany, the US many more Jews found refuge in fascist prosecuted as a war criminal and collabor- had to give priority to its war—the war Spain than in democratic Ireland. Fine ator. But that was crying for the moon. with Japan which it had deliberately Gael might cite that fact in defence of its Aung San became Prime Minister of his provoked. And by the time it might have own fascist phase, if it had no chosen to country, which Japan had inspired to assert turned its mind to destroying its Soviet pretend that it was never fascist. It its independence—but he was blown up ally in Minister Shatter's universal war for campaigned vigorously for the recognition with his Ministers at their first Cabinet Freedom, it was too late. Against all of Franco's insurrection as the legitimate meeting. The British Foreign Office expectations, Russia had made its own Government of Spain, as against the decided to reveal a couple of years ago nuclear bomb by 1948. elected Republic, from 1936 onwards. De that the assassination was the work of the Valera refused to recognise Franco's How was it that an unquestionable war British security service. The person chosen Government until it had made itself the de for Freedom, which Ireland branded itself to make that revelation was the BBC's facto Spanish State in 1938. as a moral bankrupt by refusing to partici- secular saint, Fergal Kane, so it can hardly pate in it, ended like that? be doubted. There were two significant differences 4 between Spain and Ireland (besides the ed, or the threats of the great Western Franco Spain, because they are author- obvious difference in size). Spain had a democracy forced them to end their itarian, and replacing them with make- land border across which Jews could flee. neutrality (i.e. the Latin American states). believe democracies. This was done in And Spain had fought an authentic Civil If de Valera's Ireland was morally bank- Iraq with Irish approval and marginal Irish War, unlike the Irish one—which was a rupt, it was in good company! participation on the grounds that it must conflict manipulated by Britain between always be a good thing to destroy 'tyran- two bodies of people with the same aim. It is absurd that the deceptive shib- nies'. Today Iraq is free. It was not free Authentic civil wars are capable of produc- boleths of the war propaganda of what under Saddam. Under Saddam very few ing a strong regime (e.g. England, Amer- was a very confused War with regard to people were killed by the political process. ica). The victor is militarily triumphant, principles should be bandied about in Irish A great noise was made by Amnesty Inter- self-confident, and in command of a politics almost 70 years later by a Govern- national about those who were killed — unified regime. The spurious Irish 'civil ment Minister for the purpose of making but the figures for political killing under war' was debilitating. The victor won nonsense of Irish history. the tyranny were so small, compared with with British guns, British money, and today's figures, that it is too embarrassing British propaganda backing, spurred on Fascism was not an internationalist to mention them. And the allied countries by British threats. He was not driven by a system that threatened civilisation. It was in the 'Coalition of the Willing' that brought fundamental disagreement with those a means by which various capitalist coun- down Saddam did not collect figures for against whom he fought about the kind of tries, thrown into disorder by the Great civilian casualties consequent upon their State there should be. Therefore, when he War and the disruptive peace that followed invasion. won, he could not command the situation it, preserved Capitalism against the force When the media tell us of improvements morally. There was a rupture between of international Communism, which had in the Iraqi situation the base year that material and moral force. The party also been generated out of the chaos of the they use is not 2001, when the tyranny was defeated in war retained the moral force Great War. Churchill, the mythical leader operative, but 2006, when the 'freedom' and became dominant within ten years of of the "Anti-Fascist War", was an ardent introduced by the 'liberation' had brought defeat, but could not restore the situation supporter of Fascism as the only effective about general mayhem. Details of life as it had been in 1921. defender of capitalist civilisation in post- under the tyranny cannot be mentioned, Britain had an entirely reasonable Great War Europe. because they would make it appear as a purpose in making the Irish fight each Countries that were reduced to an Golden Age. The humanitarian ideology, other in 1922. It was to ensure that the antagonism of their social elements by the so much in evidence when the invasion Army that had fought it to the negotiating recklessness with which the British Empire was being prepared, is now strictly table in 1919-21 would not be the Army of brought about world war, conducted the subordinate to the requirements of Utopian the State which it was obliged to recognise war, and re-made the world according to capitalist democratic ideology. in Ireland. The Irish State, which declared its whims at the end of it, were forcefully neutrality in 1939, was essentially un- drawn back into functional capitalist nation Democracy is nationalist in tendency, armed. Its achievement was to convince states. Fascism did for capitalism, by no less than Fascism was. And, when it Churchill that he would nevertheless meet drastic means in a situation of dire emerg- becomes "international", i.e. Imperialist, with strong national resistance if he acted ency, what we call Democracy does by it does so on the basis of its nationalist on what he took to be his right to occupy routine in normal situations. core. Ireland. Franco's neutrality was the armed The main fascist country that ran its full Conor Cruise O'Brien saw that Demo- neutrality of a state made strong by victory course (i.e., that was not broken by external cracy was nationalist in tendency. He saw in an authentic civil war. intervention) was Spain. Fascist order it in the course of his brooding over the was imposed on a chaos within which French Revolution in learned mode, but Franco might have given victory to Communism was seen to be developing, he lacked the moral courage to follow Hitler by joining him in the War and was preserved by force for about forty through this insight in his political mode. closing the Mediterranean to the Royal years, and was then modified into the He also saw that Democracy, constituted Navy by taking Gibraltar. Instead of representative system that we call Demo- into into a general ideology, is capable of doing that, he made it clear to Hitler that cracy. Representative government was being immensely destructive. This is not he would have to fight his way through restored on the understanding that the something that his leading apostle, Eoghan Spain to get to Gibraltar. Fascist era would be treated as a necessary Harris, learned from him. Harris, as pub- The crucial part played by Spain in the development out of chaos which made licist for the fantasist Ahmad Chalabi in War as declared and fought by Britain orderly representative government pos- the invasion of Iraq, gave free expression makes its characterisation as a war against sible. In recent years a Spanish judge was to the democratic utopianism that revolted Fascism ridiculous. The Anti-Fascist War overcome by a feeling that this was an O'Brien in his learned musings on the was the Soviet war of defence, in which outrage on justice, and he began to issue French Revolution. And then he went German power was broken. But the victory indictments which treated the fascist era a quiet. of the Anti-Fascist Power would probably criminal outbreak. This struck at the The nationalist character of Democracy have led to war with Britain, if Britain had authoritarian roots of the democratic state is plainly evident in the most influential still been capable of a major war effort at (all states have authoritarian roots), and democracy in this region of the world. that point. endangered the system. Spanish demo- The British State was a kind of oligarchic cracy has now acted to protect itself by It might be added that Britain and France tyranny for about a century and half prosecuting that judge for treason. (with their Imperial hinterlands) were the following the establishment of a stable only Allied countries which were involved In recent times there has been a regime around 1715. Then it gradually in a war of choice. Every other country democratic mania for knocking down func- phased the populace into the electoral maintained a neutral position until attack- tional authoritarian states, rather like system of the state until it became a 5 democracy in the militarist Imperialist these men died, in many cases during the atmosphere of 1918. Imperialist militarism liberation of Europe, some of them on the does not survive in it today in connection beaches of Normandy on the 6th of June. Realities And, after the War, they were all court- with some remnant of the old ruling class. continued martialled, the dead and the live men. And It is carried by the democracy proper. they were also banned from employment is now dead. The fight is over. It was one The stable transition from Oligarchy to for seven years. This was known in- or the other and it is obvious which has Democracy was seen as a possible develop- formally in Parliament as the Starvation won out. There is no point in flogging a ment by the ruling class in the late 19th Order, and the implications are obvious. dead horse. But Ms Day kept saying that century in the context of militarism and And these men were treated very badly this was yet to be decided. Imperialism. It was democratic Britain and their treatment compares very badly, compared to men who deserted and who "She said the current treaty would be that ignored the Irish Election of 1918, didn't fight with the Allies, for instance outside EU treaties but would hopefully fought the Black-and-Tan War, and lost men who became criminals or even the be compatible with them. “Outside France Ireland. It is democratic Britain that is handful of men who fought with the Waffen and Germany, most of the other member now seeking to clean up that piece of SS. They were not treated in the same states are not particularly happy with the history and to erode the national morale of manner. clear leadership role they have taken.” the country which it lost so disgracefully— BBC It is a very, very interesting tale. She said there had been a lot of grumbling by rewriting its history and ridiculing its You know, what was going on? Was it just on the margins and calls on the commis- because they were fighting with the hated sion to speak up for the community meth- culture. English? I mean, what was the—— Why od, but the economic crisis had made it And this is the project that the present do you think they were treated so harshly? much more difficult for the commission Government proposes to carry forward. RWWell I think it was—— the Government to play its traditional role." * had to do something. In fairness the Irish The BBC, an agency of the nationalistic, Government had to make some sort of a So one Treaty could be as good as response and can't be blamed for that. But another—but if so why have two? The democratic, imperialistic British state, was it's the nature of the response that's at fault. doing its proper job when it made the only alternative she seems to have is for Because it was unconstitutional and it was people to be hoping and grumbling and— running on the issue of the outrageous illegal by Irish law, and there was an refusal of the Irish State to recognise a element of vindictiveness in this what else—pray? That hardly constitutes right of desertion to its Army. On 4th legislation. a policy. It is dog in the manger politics. January it carried a very misleading and BBC And we should say there's something "I would like to see a revival of strong of a campaign now, isn't there? I don't support from the smaller member states impressionistic programme on Radio 4, in know whether that's as a result of your for the commission. As a body it most which a number of people were given free book, but a campaign to essentially to closely reflects their interests. I think rein to make wild assertions. One of these essentially to get those verdicts overturned? there has been a bit of a falling off of that was that orphans of soldiers who had died RW Yes, there is a campaign. And it is as in recent years" (ibid). for Britain were put into Industrial Schools a result of the book. Because of course this It is a bit late in the day for this and it with a code attached to their names "SS", had been hidden away for half a century was one small country (guess who?) which to mark them out for harsher treatment. and the book brought this into the public led the charge, along with Pat Cox and the There were complaints too about the domain. And a guy called Peter Mulvaney European Liberals, to successfully destroy deserters being ostracised by their neigh- in Ireland, another ex-soldier like myself, he took the issue up and started a campaign the authority of the Commission over a bours. But Radio 4 had shown consider- and I'm working with him on this. And decade ago. Of course Day, and the Insti- able disregard for factual reporting on 3rd we're calling upon the Irish Government tute of International European Affairs, August 2011 (at 7.40 am) on its prestigious to show some humanity and compassion never mention this as Mr. Cox is one of Today programme when it conducted an and pardon the handful of very old men their great heroes and inspirers and he is interview with Robert Widders, the author now and allow them to die with dignity on its Comité d'Honneur. Are they all of a book on these Irish deserters. That and honour. blind, deaf and dumb? interview had been flagged as follows: BBC But what's so significant—— I mean some of the children who were, I mean The phrase falling off' brings to mind "Also on today's programme, the story of rather few of the men themselves are the similar fate of Humpty Dumpty. He the thousands of Irish soldiers punished around, but some of the children who were also had a 'falling off' but Humpty simply for choosing to fight Fascism". Here is a punished on behalf of their father's activity fell—he was not pushed. But our Irish transcript of the interview which followed. must still be around. EUophile heroes pushed and praised the RW Oh, there are a lot of them around, pusher of the Commission off the wall and RADIO 4 INTERVIEW and I've spoken to many of them. And in RW Good Morning fact one lady showed me a School Register now all they can do is look at the wreckage BBC Just tell us the typical story of what only a few weeks ago. And on this register and hope it gets itself together again. And happened to any one of these 5,000 or so it's marked, some of the names are marked grumble and hope. who deserted. "S S", which stands for Special Treatment RW Yes, what happened is that these for the children of British soldiers. And The unreality goes on: men deserted from around 1940-41 on- when I say schools, it was really more like "If Britain chooses to stay and make it wards when the threat of invasion had a prison, because there were given work we can keep the EU as we know it disappeared. and they made their way routinely, routinely they were physically today, but if they pursue the role of being across to England, joined the British Army and sexually abused. They were denied a Switzerland or a Hong Kong that some or the Navy or the Air Force and served medical treatment and they were rented on the Tory backbenches and in the City throughout the 2nd World war fighting out as slave labourers to work in the fields favour, then we can easily move to having against Fascism. In many cases the Irish for farmers. a loose outer circle and an inner circle." State at the time imprisoned their children, BBC What an extraordinary tale, Robert either during the War or post-War, where Widders. As I say the book is called Does she not know that Britain HAS they were singled out for special treatment, Spitting On A Soldier's Grave. Thank you chosen? It was in all the papers. It happened which meant increased abuse. Some of very much." about 2am on 9th December 2011 if she 6 needs to check the record. Britain has into the EEC and they remain in that "…“I have two different birth certificates, chosen to be a defender of the EU as the state—except that they have since changed but I still haven't a notion about my real identity.” most effective way to oppose the arrange- their stance. But their new commitment is ments to secure the Euro. And Ms Day as mindless as their opposition was. A middle-aged woman spoke yesterday does not seem to see this! Halligan's concluding remarks illustrated of the heartbreaking trauma she is enduring the waffle that passes for thought in those But hey, despite all this: in her ongoing battle to discover who she circles about the current situation: "The really is. Kathy Ferguson is a woman with "She said under current plans the com- Lemass legacy suggests the need for a no name. She does not know her real mission would be given huge new powers clear understanding of where the national identity. She does not know her precise and responsibilities, but few people interest lies today. He would, for sure, be realised what this was going to mean. age, exactly where she was born or who opting for involvement rather than isola- “We are talking about a future in which her parents were. She does not know if she national budgets are synchronised; in tion" (18 Jan.). That's a great help. What has any brothers, sisters, cousins or other which the commission has oversight over does it mean? "Involvement rather than relatives. She is convinced, however, that national budgets; the power to intervene isolation" is a meaningless and useless she was born in Ireland. But despite a and call for change in national budgets” counterposing in today's context. painstaking and exhaustive search into …" (ibid). her background here, she has still failed to The EEC of the Lemass era is gone and discover her true origins. Kathy maintains Yes, the Commission will probably be the EU is now being bypassed. that a birth certificate issued to her by used to do the donkey work of the new Promoting the EU is in effect a weapon authorities here is not really hers and is inter-Governmental arrangement but even that can now be used against the only form simply a "near match" to that of a person of integration that's vital and feasible— that could pass as being her. that is not certain. That is the biggest role the Fiscal Compact. “People have positively no idea of the the Commission will have, but that has Halligan does not address that, he is trauma I am going through because of my nothing to do with what the Commission evading the issue. But we know which he situation… The fact that I don't know who was set up to do. It will get some crumbs supports—easy—whichever one is suc- I am plays on mind all the time. It's like from the table of the new inter-Governmental cessful. If the EU survives without the having to endure slow torture. There is no arrangement. Compact, he will be in a position to waffle escaping the desperate agony it causes. I find I am continually wondering about my The Commission was the central and on forever about an ever receding 'Europe' origins and background… unique instrument set up to create a that would not have any political reality. If “Having to go through life like this not European polity, by initiating legislation the Compact succeeds he will also be a knowing the truth of my situation is pure and crucial decisions across the Commun- supporter but its success will owe nothing hell.” ity and thereby building up the necessary to him and his poor imitation of Chatham House, as the this recent contribution by Kathy is now threatening to take legal action moral and political power to integrate the against Government bureaucrats who she nation states. At best its role will now be Catherine Day shows. maintains have provided her with two different reduced to a bureaucracy pure and simple identities, each of which is incorrect. for the inter-Governmental arrangements Declan Ganley has joined in with “According to the Irish Government I and will do as it told. The substance has another abstraction about a United States was born in Ireland on November 26th, gone and that means the EU is gone. But of Europe. A great idea—a 'bold idea' 1947. According to the British Government Ms Day speaks as if nothing had really according to the Irish Times (10 Jan.)— I was born in England on March 2nd, 1945… changed for the Commission—that it goes and a total red herring in not concentrating “Both of these obviously cannot be right. As far as I am concerned each of them is on as before with a bit of tweaking here on the task in hand. If the Fiscal Compact and another bit there but oblivious to the most certainly wrong.” fails, all such grand ideas will be so much fact that its essential role is dead and gone. Kathy, who spent her childhood in a number She is a true bureaucrat. fantasising. The creators of the European of different children's homes and institutions The approach of Ms Day is typical and, project started with the mundane task of in both Ireland and England, is determined to if the Government approaches a referen- the coordinating work of the Coal and discover the truth of her origins. She has contacted anyone who might help dum with such an eclectic approach, it Steel Community, without which all the rest would have been so much hot air. The her find out more about her fractured life and will convince nobody. There is one task has written to countless people, including and one task only—to secure the Euro via same applies, ten times over, with the church bosses and political leaders like Bertie the inter-Governmental plans. If that is absolute need to make the Compact work. Ahern and Tony Blair. confused with anything else under the Jack Lane Two Government departments that have replied to Kathy's enquiries have recorded her guises of supporting 'Europe', the 'EU', separately as Kathleen Marie O'Brien and 'Brussels', the 'Union' or whatever, it will Deserters continued Kathleen Power. According to the birth certi- give such mixed messages that voters will ficates record office in Dublin she was born in be turned off. These concepts are now Proud to be a British soldier's child… Holles Street Hospital on November 26, 1947, abstractions and electorates as a whole do Prisoner 893 (Industrial school), and her real name is Kathleen Marie O'Brien. Kathy Ferguson, But documents she has obtained from the not relate to abstractions—they only Jacox Crescent, births office in England state she was born on exercise the ideologues. Kenilworth, England." March 2, 1945, in Coventry, and her real name Could it be that the self-proclaimed is Kathleen Power. “One minute I am Irish- It was ironic to read Brendan Halligan's born Kathleen O'Brien and I am now 59 years 'paper of record' has been publishing paean of praise to Lemass's efforts in old”, Kathy said yesterday. “The next minute some 'false consciousness'? It having his application to join the EEC I am English-born Kathleen Power and I am accepted, delivered on the 50th anniversary seems that any old rubbish is grist to 61 years old. The truth of the matter and from of the formal application to do so. In the mill of doing down the Irish State. my own extensive research neither identity is The same lady appears to have had a outlining the hurdles Lemass had to correct. All I want to know is who I really am, different story about her childhood in but no one seems capable of telling me.” overcome, he might have mentioned that the Sunday World of 28th January presented by himself and the Irish labour 2007. The story below has nothing Kathy is a mother of four, has spent Party. Both were then mindless and about Soldiers or Desertion or being most of her life living in England where unconvincing in their opposition to entry singled out for bad treatment she still resides today. But much of her 7 time in recent years has been spent in this country where she has been desperately trying to discover her real identity. Speak- Iran Not Trying To Develop A Nuclear Weapon ing at her home in Kenilworth, Warwick- —US Defence Secretary, Leon Panetta shire, yesterday, she explained that her own intensive investigations had helped Asked about Iran\s nuclear programme Subsequent annual threat assessments her piece together some of her lost child- on Face The Nation (CBS, 8 Jan. 2012), of the US Intelligence community given hood. She endured a brutal, tragic and dis- US Defence Secretary, Leon Panetta, to the US Congress were not materially ruptive background and upbringing, most of replied: different from the conclusions of the NIE. it spent in the care of social services… "Are they {the Iranians} trying to For example, the February 2011 assess- The earliest records reveal she was sent develop a nuclear weapon? No." {1} ment to the House of Representatives to an industrial school run by the Sisters of Intelligence Committee by the Director of Mercy in Ennis, County Clare, in Decem- Viewers whose opinions on Iran's nuc- National Intelligence, James R. Clapper ber 1948 after being found “destitute” on lear activities have been formed by main- stated: the streets of Killaloe. A court document, stream media in the West must have been “We continue to assess {that} Iran is associated with her detention there, read amazed by this statement. There, the keeping open the option to develop nuc- in part: "It is hereby ordered that the said impression is constantly given Iran defin- lear weapons in part by developing var- child shall be sent to the Certified Indus- itely has an active programme to develop ious nuclear capabilities that better trial School at Convent of Mercy, Ennis, nuclear weapons, which will yield results position it to produce such weapons, being a school conducted in accordance in a year or two. And that has been the should it choose to do so. We do not with the doctrines of the Catholic Church" impression for the last six or eight years. know, however, if Iran will eventually decide to build nuclear weapons.” {5} and where the managers were willing to One would never guess that it has been receive her. the considered view of the US Intelligence So, when he expressed the opinion on It added that Kathy was to be detained there services since November 2007 that Iran 8th January 2012 that Iran hadn’t got a until 1961, a period of 13 years, when it was hasn't got an active nuclear weapons prog- nuclear weapons programme, Defence believed she would be 16 years of age. Secretary Panetta was merely repeating But only… a few years after her detention at ramme. This assessment was contained in the Ennis industrial school, she was transferred a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) the considered view of the US Intelligence to England where she was placed in the care of entitled Iran: Nuclear Intentions And services for the past four or five years. a couple living in a caravan in Coventry. Capabilities, key judgments of which were Israel Kathy believes the woman in whose care she made public. These stated, inter alia: Do the Israeli Intelligence services was placed was fraudulently claiming to be her "We judge with high confidence that in disagree with this assessment? Not signi- real mother in order to obtain maintenance payments. fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weap- ficantly, judging by quotations from key ons program… We assess with moderate Israeli Intelligence service personnel "It beggars belief that the Sisters of Mercy confidence Tehran had not restarted its handed me into the care of someone claiming published in the Israeli media. nuclear weapons program as of mid-2007 to be my mother who was not really my Iran still mulling whether to build nuc- mother at all, " she complained yesterday. …" {2} lear bomb was the headline on an article "It seems to me there was absolutely no The UN's International Atomic Energy by Amos Harel in Haaretz on 18th January proper checking done on anyone." Agency (IAEA) statement on 4th Decem- 2012, just before a recent visit to Israel by Further court records Kathy has obtained ber 2007 in response to the National Intel- the head of the US military. The article show she was eventually taken from the couple ligence Estimate said: said: in the caravan after it was found she was being "Iran has not yet decided whether to "IAEA Director General Mohamed make a nuclear bomb, according to the abused by them… ElBaradei received with great interest She was then taken into the Care of the intelligence assessment Israeli officials the new U.S. National Intelligence Estim- social services in England, where she stayed will present later this week to General until her teens. ate about Iran’s nuclear program which Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US "There has not been a door that I have not concludes that there has been no on-going Joint Chiefs of Staff. knocked d on or a politician that I have not nuclear weapons program in Iran since “The Israeli view is that while Iran written to in my search for my true identity. But the fall of 2003. He notes in particular continues to improve its nuclear capabi- no one seems to be able to help me", Kathy told that the Estimate tallies with the Agency’s lities, it has not yet decided whether to Sunday World yesterday .She said that when consistent statements over the last few translate these capabilities into a nuclear she received records from the Sisters of Mercy years that, although Iran still needs to weapon—or, more specifically, a nuclear about her time in their care, they advised her clarify some important aspects of its past warhead mounted atop a missile. Nor is it that she might be disappointed when she went and present nuclear activities, the Agency clear when Iran might make such a looking for her birth certificate as it might not has no concrete evidence of an ongoing decision." {6} be accurate. nuclear weapons program or undeclared "I have trawled Ireland looking for details nuclear facilities in Iran.” {3} This concurs with the view expressed of who my mother might be and of any The NIE's conclusions were a dis- in January 2011 by the head of Israeli relatives I might have and have found appointment rather than a relief to Presi- Military Intelligence, Brigadier General nothing and nobody… Aviv Kochavi, just after his appointment “It seems I am a non-person. I have two dent George W Bush, who complained in his memoir, Decision Points, that the news to the post. birth certificates, but neither is mine. I have According to an Agence France Presse a UK passport that states that I am a subject “tied my hands on the military side”, of the United Kingdom, but was born in the saying: report, he told the Knesset Foreign Affairs West of Ireland. "I have an Irish birth certi- “But after the NIE, how could I pos- And Defence Committee on 25th January ficate that says I was born in Dublin and a sibly explain using the military to destroy 2011 that "Iran is not currently working British birth certificate that says I was born the nuclear facilities of a country the on producing a nuclear weapon but could in England. intelligence community said had no active make one within ‘a year or two' of taking “But I can find positively no records of nuclear weapons program?” (Quoted in such a decision" {7}. He added that Iran who my parents are in either jurisdiction. Urging Obama to Stop Rush to Iran War by "would then need more time to develop an It's as though, I like me, they really do not ex-CIA analysts Ray Mc Govern & Eliza- effective missile delivery system for it". exist”." beth Murray, published by Consortium He also said "it was unlikely that Iran [[email protected]] news.com on 30 December 2011 {4}) which currently enriches uranium to 20 8 percent, would start enriching to the 90 has made a decision to develop nuclear late 19th century? The tenant farmers of percent level needed for a bomb, because weapons. In that, they appear to be at one Ireland were engaged in a decades-long it would be in open breach of the nuclear with the US Intelligence services. land war using every means possible, from Non-Proliferation Treaty exposing it to David Morrison moonlighting and boycotting to putting harsher sanctions or even a US or Israeli 23 January 2012 their case at Westminster and in the Royal military strike", adding that "at the References: Courts of Justice. They ignored Catholic moment, it's not in Iran's interest to move {1} www.cbsnews.com/8301-3460_162- their programme ahead". 57354647/face-the-nation-transcript-january-8- advice from the Vatican on the matter. In 2012/ other words it was not a society of some Earlier in January 2011, Meir Dagan, {2} www.dni.gov/press_releases/ who had just retired as head of Mossad, 20071203_release.pdf kind of passive peasantry with a benign told the same Committee that he did not {3} www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/PressReleases/ aristocracy as tended to be the case in believe that Iran would be able to produce 2007/prn200722.html Europe. Desmond's simple description of {4} consortiumnews.com/2011/12/30/urging- a nuclear weapon until 2015 (see Haaretz, obama-to-stop-rush-to-iran-war/ 'rural' is just not adequate and he is again 7 January 2011, {8}). According to {5} www.dni.gov/testimonies/ missing the actual social dynamic of the Haaretz, he said that "Iran was a long way 20110210_testimony_clapper.pdf society. Also, it is worth mentioning that from being able to produce nuclear weap- {6} www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel- after the success of the tenant farmers, the ons, following a series of failures that had iran-still-mulling-whether-to-build-nuclear- bomb-1.407866 urban tenants took up their own cause and set its program back by several years". {7} www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ followed the example set by the country- So, whereas Israeli political leaders ALeqM5gShKfmWcoQ1ABBQ_DodMUUh61ckA often assert that Iran's acquisition of {8} www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/ side and achieved their property rights. nuclear weapons is imminent, Israel's outgoing-mossad-chief-iran-won-t-have-nuclear- Where rural Ireland led, urban Ireland Intelligence services question whether Iran capability-before-2015-1.335656 followed.

Desmond argues that, when the char- acteristics he describes became less dominant decades after Independence, the Not Sufficient To Be Sour nation "dissolved". That follows logically a response from his assumptions and definition of what the nation consisted of and therefore I think Desmond Fennel's position in home and abroad; it was not inspired by there is a sort of inevitability and 'end of January's Irish Political Review can be Gaelic Ireland; and it most certainly was history' feeling about his thesis. Desmond summarized in the following extracts: not Catholic-inspired. It was inspired by, is mixing up changes with dissolution in "In the late nineteenth century the Irish and was a direct development of, the this instance. Some elements changed and nation performed this seminal intellectual Young Ireland movement—which was declined in later decades but the Repub- act of defining its distinguishing most certainly not defined by these ele- lican ethos of the nation went from strength characteristics and values. It came to see ments of the society. to strength. It was this Republicanism that itself, and to present itself, as an ancient, Combined with that, the IRB was also made Ireland whatever it was on the world essentially Gaelic, Catholic and rural nation, which had fought a long freedom foreign-inspired, by French and America stage for most of the 20th century. And struggle, was opposed to all imperialism, Republicanism which was its model polity. Republicanism and anti-Imperialism and adhered to liberal democracy as the The IRB and Fenianism generally was became the zeitgeist of world politics for method of acquiring and exercising polit- impressed by, and in turn impressed, all most of the century. Republicanism and ical power… Equipped with that defining sorts of anarchists and communist groups all it meant put Ireland in a very recognis- view of itself, the Irish nation fought its internationally. It was therefore alien to able and respected place 'among the nations Revolution…In the four decades from all Desmond's definition of the nation. of the earth' and it grew in influence as the the 40s onwards, the nation's ability to realise itself durably in the terms in which And yet it was the element that enabled 20th century progressed. Dev was a colos- had defined itself crumbled piecemeal political independence to become a reality sus at the League of Nations in the 30s. and ultimately dissolved." and thereby gave the other elements an Aiken followed in his footsteps at the UN opportunity to flourish and become a really decades later and their reputations were I think there are several flaws, or rather significant element in the life of the nation based on their Republicanism and certainly inadequacies, in this analysis. What he which they would not have done otherwise. not on their being Catholic, Gaelic or describes is a cultural/sociological fact of rural. the late 19th century but one which by How, for example, would Connolly, itself did not and would never necessarily The rural composition changed, the together with the people and beliefs he have led to political independence. The economic policies changed and were stood for, be fitted into the above defin- dynamic of the nation is missing, the adapted, the Catholicity changed but these ition? I doubt if he had a word of Irish, was political dynamic. If the nation was defined changes did not and need not necessarily Scottish-born, would have got lost in an by its rural, Catholic and Gaelic elements, have changed the substance of the nation average-sized field, was a Marxist, sup- there would have been no political revolu- and an independent Republic. Change for ported Germany in WWI and only became tion but a kind of Gaelic-speaking, Cath- a nation is as inevitable as change is for a Catholic on his deathbed—and for his olic, Home Rule Wales—at best. any individual and life without change is family's sake rather than any God! The The crucial element that made inde- death. The ability to change is the nearest same goes for 'Pagan' O'Leary, Roger pendence possible is missing. This was definition there is to life itself. Casement in the British Foreign Service, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, the I can't see the dissolving he describes, John O'Leary in Paris, Devoy in America, Fenian movement. That movement was at the time he describes it, in a nation state Tom Clarke selling Titbits in Dublin, etc. not part of Desmond's consensus of the that joined the EEC as an accepted equal, etc. time—it was not necessarily rural-based, expanded economically, broke the link being equally at home in urban Ireland at And what did 'rural' actually mean in with sterling, created the Celtic Tiger era 9 and is adjusting better and quicker than The "aversion" came later. Why that a case of blaming the messenger, as the others to the post-Celtic Tiger era. And happened is the real question. messenger and the message are inseparable doing so in alliance with 'our gallant allies in its case. To paraphrase Marshall Mc There was one element that did not join in Europe'. And also doing so in a situation Luhan, the messenger is very much the in and kept its head. The effective owner where even the Irish Times itself has to message. The Irish Times is much more of the Irish Times, Major Tom McDowell, break the habit of its lifetime and has had than a newspaper. If it was simply a immediately put his paper at the service of to choose to go with the 'gallant allies' newspaper depending on normal market the British State and castigated his Editor rather than with Whitehall. This is not forces it would have disappeared long who had shown signs of going native in dissolution in my book—fundamental ago. It has made itself immune to the the crisis! The paper had always served changes, yes; difficult problems, yes; market in an age when we are told that British interests, but the strength of Ire- mistakes, yes; austerity yes: but not market forces are the be-all and end-all. It land's enduring independence had caused dissolution. It is also worth mentioning is an organization oath-bound to secrecy— a flutter of second thoughts among the that the rural element is the booming when we are supposed to be in an age of minions, such as the then Editor. Major element at the moment and has never had transparency. But all that hypocrisy is the Tom reversed all that. (See John Martin's it so good. privilege of the power it has acquired at The Irish Times—past and present for a the expense of the State's lack of respect very comprehensive analysis of all this.) Desmond refers to "our disintegrated for itself. This is the legacy of Major Mc nation". And for such a serious situation Dowell who made the Irish Times what it After desperate requests from the he blames American influence: "we were is today in the course of his specific and elected representatives of the nationalist subjected to a foreign ideological invasion expressed aim to make it serve the British minority for defensive help St. Jack Lynch that valued nothing of what Ireland stood State at a crucial moment. He ensured it and his Government raised their expect- for and that had the power of the post-war would continue to do what it has historic- ations by considering armed intervention American empire behind it". I think that is ally always done and he saved it from a in the North in certain circumstances and purely ideological and totally misplaced. possible deviation from that raison d'être. planned the acquiring of the necessary A "disintegrated nation" must have suf- This is not being 'sour'—this is simply arms—to support the minority in a 'dooms- fered a clear and obvious crisis, or crises, stating the facts of the matter. And without day' scenario. Lynch said he would not to have reached such a state of affairs. stating the facts I cannot see how anything 'stand idly by' in such circumstances. I American influence caused no such crisis can be done about the condition. took his advice. The British made it plain in Ireland. American cultural influences that Southern intervention was not on in were absorbed, as they had been for over States exist to deal with problems and any circumstances. The Lynch Govern- a century before, and there was as much there is no reason to believe that the Irish ment was humiliated at the UN and, under ignored as was accepted. People picked State cannot deal with a problem it created other more 'intimate' pressures from and choose what they wanted. and regain its historical self-respect. It has Britain, it backed down and abandoned its The greatest crisis the Southern State little choice but to do so in any case. The promise of any help to the nationalists. It faced was the Northern crisis. Of that post-Cold War world is a world of nation lost its bearings and went to the other Desmond says that: states which have to look after themselves extreme of abandoning the nationalist min- —and some who cannot do so become "The Irish liberal Correctorate (every ority completely. This was made plain 'failed states', i.e., they are destroyed. West European country had one) made when Lynch initiated the debâcle of the It is back to the future for nation states clear its aversion to treating the historic arms trial that discredited and demoralized freedom struggle as a national value. and relations between them are now as the State. History then had to be rewritten Accordingly, it was strongly hostile to they were before the Cold War. There is to justify the fiasco and that State-sponsored the ongoing armed struggle of the one consolation—we are not the only revision is the source of the disorientation Northern nationalists." nation state with serious problems and that persists. Being true to their nature, some are much more serious than ours. I think this is fundamentally wrong liberals and intellectuals generally joined Jack Lane because it is chronologically wrong. All in as they all follow power like, as the of liberal Ireland, as well as reactionary song says, "all flowers in time bend Ireland and indifferent Ireland, were effect- towards the sun". Irish Times: Past And Present, a record ively supportive of the armed struggle of of the journal since 1859, by John the Northern nationalists when it began. Desmond says: Martin. Index. 264 pp. ISBN 978-1- Guns and ammunition flooded into the "It is not sufficient to be sour about 872078-13-7. BHES 2008. ¤20, £15. North from the south. I know because I the anti-national ideology that is now in The Arms Conspiracy Trial. Ireland was a recipient of some of it. If I was the ascendant in Dublin or about the 1970: the Prosecution of Charles entrepreneurial I and others could have actions or inactions of the Irish State that Haughey, Capt. Kelly and Others. become arms dealers with the supplies is inspired by it; or about The Irish Times, 720pp. Index. ISBN 978-1-874157- available. All revolutionary elements join- historical revisionism and so on." 20-8. A Belfast Magazine No. 33, 2009. ed in, and I recall being praised by old This is a plea not to shoot the messenger, ¤30, £25 . Blueshirt farmers for any contribution which is generally very fair but if the Irish made. It was seen by them as involving State is culpable I cannot see why we are 'one last push' and the Unionists would not quite entitled to blame the Irish State You can buy books and pamphlets from the soon have to start swimming. The 'prawn address on the back page by cheque or insofar as it culpable. Why not? If the cocktail Provo' was a reality in Dublin 4 credit/debit card from: State causes a problem it is our democratic just as much as he was in another form https://www.atholbooks- obligation as citizens to say so as it is the among those "who ate their dinner in the only body that can rectify its own mistakes. sales.org middle of the day". As regards the Irish Times, it is hardly 10 Celtic Tiger, increased by just 20pc. But was the Bishop Casey scandal in 1992. demographic growth up to 1980 was RTE showed an extract of Gay Byrne's actually half that". famous interview with Annie Murphy in Shorts 1992. Gay Byrne was anything but the Why select the year 2000 for compar- agent of change. Au contraire! The Late from ison? Are there not more up to date figures? Late Show interviewer presented a nar- The population of Ireland (or to be more the Long Fellow rative of a good man who had been brought precise the 26 County State) at Independ- low by an "experienced" Irish American ence was about 2.9million. It's now about woman. Byrne ended the interview by 4.5million. That represents a 55% increase PENSIONERS saying that, if her son were half the man of The recent controversy over pensions in the population. Comparisons before his father, he would be a great man. To shows that there is nothing quite like the Independence are difficult since the island which Murphy replied with impressive wrath of the middle class: and it is only of Ireland was not partitioned. Also popul- American self confidence: his mother is middle and high income earners that will ation statistics were not as reliable, since not too bad either. be affected. the State was an alien force. But, under the It could not have been lost on RTE that Firstly, all individuals over 65 are paradise of British rule, the population the Prince of the Church was in hiding and exempt from tax for income under 18,000 went from 8 million (or 12 or 15) pre- his lover had possession of the national euro. For married couples the exemption Famine to about 4 million in the island of stage. For whatever reason, the tide had is 36,000. Marginal relief applies at 40% Ireland. If the Irish State was a failure, turned and RTE would have to adapt. for each euro above these amounts until how would Mr. Myers describe rule under Britain? the overall tax reaches 20% of income, MARY RAFTERY less tax credits. It is difficult to assess the legacy of Secondly, the 41% higher rate of tax WHEN WAS INDEPENDENCE? Mary Raftery (54) who died recently after only applies for income above 32,800 for Kevin Myers's article begs the question an eighteen-month battle with cancer. If single people, and at 41,800 for married of when we actually achieved Independ- she was a courageous journalist, she couples where one of the partners has no ence. Michael Noonan in his budget speech certainly was not swimming against the income. says that we achieved it 90 years ago. The tide. Her States of Fear documentary was The argument of these middle class Treaty "restored our sovereignty" and, 7 years after the Bishop Casey scandal. pensioners is that they should not have according to Noonan, we lost it again at The Long Fellow found her column in had to declare their State Pension of about the end of 2010. This view of history puts The Irish Times almost unreadable. Apart 10,700 euro (21,400 for married couples). Noonan at variance with that of Michael from the relentless negativity, it tended to The tax authorities should have known Collins, who defended the Treaty on the be replete with clichés and mixed meta- about it. basis that it gave us "the freedom to achieve phors. Sometimes her articles were so This would be a reasonable point except freedom" and not that we had already bad; they were good. For example here are for the fact that the Long Fellow couldn't achieved freedom. But it is firmly within the opening lines of a 2005 article: the tradition of Cumann na nGaedheal help noticing that the day before the issue "With the Government flailing about emerged some lawyers were on RTE's who adhered rigidly to the Treaty's terms. on the nursing homes debacle, Charlie Morning Ireland denouncing the possibil- The Long Fellow agrees with the Ameri- McCreevy must be thanking his lucky ity of the Tax authorities obtaining ESB cans. The question of when Independence stars that he got out when he did. It was, records for the new Property Tax. Appar- was actually realised is less significant after all, his imperious edict that medical ently one arm of the State talking to another than when it was declared. Our Declaration cards be granted as of right to all over-70s that opened up this particular can of arm of the State is an infringement of our of Independence took place on 24th April 1916. worms like a knife through butter" (The civil liberties! Irish Times, 3.3.05). Hopefully the economic crisis will dump these spurious ideas. THE MEDIA AND CHANGE Opening a can of worms like a knife Not for the first time the Long Fellow through butter!? Pure genius! FAILED STATES notes that the media is kind to itself. On its A rather uncouth individual muttering 50th anniversary RTE portrayed itself as "UNEXPECTED" DEATH obsessively the name "Kevin Myers" has dragging Ireland into the modern world. It used to be said that no native Irish just handed the Long Fellow a copy of the In the past we were deferential and narrow- person ever died in The Irish Times. Its Irish Independent dated 3rd January 2012. minded. Thanks to RTE we are now liber- obituary columns were restricted to the The Long Fellow likes to keep in touch ated and open. There is a very small grain Anglo-Irish or British dignitaries. If the with what the lower orders read but there of truth in this narrative. Most of our mortality of the Irish has now been accept- are limits. Why should he be subjected to social institutions have taken a battering ed, the cause of death remains fraught for the following rant from the obscure (the GAA is the exception). But what has the newspaper. columnist: been the consequence? the adoption of And so we learn that the newspaper's "Freed from the shackles of this per- values that are external to the society and Literary Editor, Caroline Walsh, died verse and dysfunctional domestic ethos, the denigration of internal national "unexpectedly" (The Irish Times, the Irish are probably the most successful developments. If this is 'maturity', it has 23.12.11). Over a number of days there ethnic group in the US. Yet 20th Century not brought self confidence, but the followed lavish coverage of the 59 year independent Ireland has historically been opposite: self doubt and even self loathing. old's wonderful career which was supple- the least successful state in Western Eur- mented by eulogies in the Letters column. ope. All other countries, including the RTE was a catalyst rather than an agent North, increased their populations by 40pc of change. Events were played out on the But The Irish Times reader received no between 1920 and 2000: ours, though national airwaves and were reflected on inkling of how this admirer of Hubert boosted by an atypical decade of the and discussed. One of the most significant Butler and Elizabeth Bowen could have 11 been cut down in her prime. had defended its fearless coverage of the Twenty years later, when I re-connected It was left to a rival newspaper to suicide of Kate FitzGerald only a week with developments in the South, I found explain: before: that Crotty had founded an Irish Sover- "Gardai believe the Irish Times literary "Mr O'Sullivan said the newspaper had eignty Movement along with Anthony editor, Caroline Walsh, walked into the a long-standing policy of encouraging a Coughlan (who had hovered around the sea between Seapoint and the West Pier more open approach within society to the Connolly Association, a front organisation in Dun Laoghaire, south Dublin, late on reality of suicide and hoped the story of of the Communist Party of Great Britain Wednesday night after driving there from Kate's life and premature death would in the 1960s and the Official Republicans her home. She had been suffering from highlight the need for people to discuss depression. Emergency services were mental health issues and to seek support" —who had been shaped by the Connolly alerted shortly after midnight and both (Irish Times 16.12.11). Association in the early 1970s). the Coastguard and garda helicopters The main business of the ISM seemed attended the scene. Her body was And all of that is true. The Irish Times recovered shortly before 2am on Thurs- to be campaigning against Irish participa- day. She was declared dead later at St does believe in openness and transparency; tion in the European Union. I know nothing Vincent's Hospital" (Sun. Ind. 25.12.11). but only for other people; never for itself. of how the phases of this evolution on The Long Fellow could say more on Crotty's part came about. How can this lacuna in the Irish Times's this subject, but, at this point, he would In 1972 he appealed to England to take coverage of a story about one of its own be prefer that the current month's column Ireland in hand again as far as possible, explained? Its editor, Kevin O'Sullivan, expire …"unexpectedly". just about drawing the line at forcible re- conquest. And Britain heeded the call to Last month Desmond Fennell mentioned Raymond Crotty in his It's Not Sufficient "apply its own scholarship to researching To Be Sour. Readers may not be familiar with Crotty's 1972 appeal to England to and studying the subject". Oxford Univer- pick up its historic burden in Ireland once more. His rationale was that Ireland was sity undertook a comprehensive Re- in a mess, beyond its own capacity to sort out. We reproduce his article below, Writing Of Irish History. And the Irish along with an Introduction by Brendan Clifford. Some comments by John Martin Sovereignty Movement, as far as I noticed follow the Crotty piece, showing the stunning rise in national fortunes in it, seemed to be only an echo of English subsequent years and indicating how wrong Crotty was to write off Ireland as an Anti-Europeanism. Was the ISM set up as economic basket case. As John Martin demonstrates, even in the present an act of gratitude to England for respond- economic crisis, Ireland is still well ahead of the situation it was in in 1972. ing to the call to do Ireland's thinking for it? Raymond Crotty's Appeal To England

The events of 1969 in the North made claim on the 6 Counties was by its majority [The following article by two things very clear: the Irish Six Coun- population.) Raymond Crotty appeared in ties of the British State were systematically The Times of 3rd July 1972] misgoverned; and the Protestant commun- I took the refusal to acknowledge a ity in the North was not, in any practical pressing reality of national antagonism in "An Irish economist's view of his and useful sense, part of a general Irish the North to be a sign of brittleness in the country's malaise nation. national culture of the Republic. I suggest- I argued that nationalist Ireland should ed that its frenzied assertion of Anti- Eire: a land where acknowledge that its propaganda and its Partitionism in that period had the function culture could not reach into Protestant of concealing its own internal unsoundness emigrants are born Ulster and attract it because of the lack of from itself. any ground of common sentiment, and that The traveller from Dublin to Donegal Anti-Partitionist agitation could only deep- Nevertheless I was surprised to see in can easily tell, apart from customs' formal- en the chasm of alienation. I suggested the London Times (which was sill worth ities, when he is leaving and reentering the that the Ulster Protestant community should reading in those days) an article by the Republic. The Northern Ireland country- foremost economic historian in the Repub- be recognised as a distinct nationality as a side is markedly more prosperous. Aver- lic, Raymond Crotty—whose history of necessary first step towards engaging it in Irish Agricultural Production (1966) I age incomes in Northern Ireland are one- discussion. That 'two nations' proposal had quoted in The Economics Of Partition quarter as high again as those in the Repub- was instantly condemned by the Taoiseach —a formal confession of moral, cultural, lic. Educational and welfare services are of the time, Jack Lynch, and by every political and economic bankruptcy on better. Prices are lower. political tendency in the Republic. behalf of the bourgeoisie. It is not often The superior conditions in Northern (The claim to the North was asserted on that such frank, circumstantial confes- Ireland are reflected best by population the ground of existing nationality and was sions are made by eminent people. That changes. The table below shows the therefore groundless. If it had been expres- was in 1972. I noted it in passing, but I changes in the Republic and in Northern sed as a historic claim, and actually existing was immersed in Northern politics then Ireland in the last 50 years before 1961, nationality declared to be immaterial, it and for a further 20 years, and I did not the last census year in which particulars of keep track of the process of disintegration would have been more soundly based. religious denominations were collected in of the nationalist political culture of the The irredentist Jewish nationalist claim to South which had denounced me for blurt- both parts of Ireland. Palestine was purely historical, and as ing out the truth. It was only what I There are, of course, abuses in Northern such it was recognised and backed by the expected. But I remembered that article Ireland. But they have not forced half of League of Nations and the United Nations, because I regarded Crotty as the only those born there to emigrate, as has been and could not be refuted by the will of the substantial intellectual in the public life of the case in the Republic during the past actual inhabitants of Palestine, as the Irish the South. 150 years. 12 Emigration on this scale, over such a the British Isles resource market. The benefits of this expansion are now exhaust- protracted period, is without precedent. It political boundary in no way disrupted the ed and only the costs remain; national has corrupted and deformed Irish society. flow of labour and capital from the Irish debt charges, soaring above the Govern- It has affected every aspect of life in the periphery to the English centre, but it did ment's capacity to borrow, will powerfully Republic in ways that are inconceivable cut off the backward flow of government reinforce all those elements which have to those who have never lived in Ireland caused an upward trend in emigration funds from the centre to the periphery, and in ways that are rarely conceived by since the establishment of the state 50 those who have never lived elsewhere. which elsewhere in the British Isles has years ago. The vicious circle of emigration The loss through emigration of one- grown to enormous proportions during -poverty-emigration will be forged tighter. half of its oncoming population stream— the past 50 years. Had the Republic rem- As disillusion with government grows and, a priori, the more ambitious, less ained part of the United Kingdom and had and respect for it declines, more economic contented half—which has gone on for the level of income redistribution from the and political violence is to be expected. 150 years, has drained Irish society econ- English centre to the Celtic peripheries Outside assistance comparable to that omically and politically to the point of remained unchanged, the Republic today which Northern Ireland now gets from collapse. The Republic's human exports, would be receiving, in income transfers Britain might arrest the ailment which for which it receives a pittance in emig- from Britain, between £300 and £500 afflicts the Irish Republic. Annual subsid- rants' remittances cost the country as much millions annually, which would raise its ies of £300-£500 millions would probably as its total physical capital formation. national income by between 25 per cent halt emigration and make possible in the Emigration keeps the Republic's isolated and 40 per cent. Republic that sort of economic and market tiny, incapable of achieving econ- The Republic has thus paid dearly for political development which has occurred omics of scale. Industries can only exist its political independence. But, because in Northern Ireland during the past 25 within this tiny, inefficient market behind of the sapping of its political will by years. Indeed, the hope of obtaining assist- tariffs which are several times higher than emigration, it has been incapable of using ance of this nature was a major factor in those of Britain and continental countries, that independence to achieve a more inducing the Irish Government to seek or with export subsidies equivalent to half effective allocation of its resources. EEC membership. However, the undev- the market value. Government in the Republic, deprived eloped state of the EEC's regional policy of an effective opposition, has been largely and the competition for the small funds The emigration of half of its youth over a matter of expedients. Two expedients in available from other peripheral regions— 150 years has made the Republic into a particular have seriously exacerbated the including those of the United Kingdom — country where young people are reared great structural weaknesses of the econ- clearly indicate that only nominal assist- and old people die. For 1,000 people in omy. Rigorous protection, introduced in ance will be forthcoming from that quarter the productive age group 20-65 years, the 1930's, caused massive emigration in in the foreseeable future. Britain has 770 people in the unproductive the post-war years as the Republic's con- age groups, under 20 and over 65 years; sumers escaped from the poor quality, high There is no prospect of the Irish situ- the Republic has 1,070. Britain's popula- priced goods of its protected industries. ation being rectified by outside interven- tion is expanding although (it rears only Then, starting from scratch after the tion. If the ailment which afflicts the 550 people aged 20 years per 1,000 people Second World War, the Republic pro- Republic is to be arrested, and if the Repub- aged 20-65 years; the Republic is contract- ceeded to create a national debt which, lic's neighbours are to be spared embarrass- ing, although it has 880 aged under 20 for relative to Gross Domestic Product, is now ment and worse by the progress of that every 1,000 people aged 20-65 years. And the largest in the world. It has created in ailment, this must be through the efforts of the position is worsening: in the 50 years 25 years a national debt on which interest the Irish themselves. before the establishment of the Irish State, payments are equivalent to 5 per cent of The economic resources exist to cope the number of people aged 20-45 declined GDP, compared to 3 per cent in the case of with the problems affecting the Republic, by 20 per cent, but it has declined by a Britain's debt, accumulated through three critical as these are. The real problem is further 25 per cent in the 50 years since the centuries, two world wars and numerous that emigration saps the political will to State was established. Because of the lesser wars. The Government of the Rep- mobilize resources so as to make emig- resulting crushing burden of dependency, ublic borrowed to create employment. ration unnecessary. taxes are high and public services are Yet the Republic is the only country in the Wealth in Ireland, for 150 years, has poor. Educational services are particularly world where, during the past 25 years, the been systematically stripped from landless, poor, and this further reduces the efficiency number of people at work has declined. mobile, young people and given to the and competitiveness of the economy. The Republic's work force is now 1,050, immobile elements who remain. A rever- The establishment of an independent 000; it was 1,228,000 in 1946; and it was sal o this process,which would direct as Irish State put a political boundary through 1,308,000 when the many resources and opportunities as pos- State was established. sible towards those young, ambitious, Northern Ireland Republic mobile people who would otherwise Roman Catholics Others Roman Catholics Others There are fewer people 1911 430,161 820,370 2,812,509 327,179 at work now in the Rep- emigrate would help greatly. In particular, 1961 497,547 827,495 2,873,473 144,863 ublic than at any time in if that estimated one-third of Ireland's Change the past 200 years. national income which accrues to the 1911-61 plus plus minus minus ownership of land were diverted by a land 16 per cent 13 per cent 5 per cent 58 per cent The further course of -tax to supplement the inadequate returns the ailment affecting to mobile labour and capital, emigration Source: Stationery Office, Dublin, Statistical Abstract of Ireland, Irish society appears 1950, Table XIV: Statistical Abstract of Ireland, 1969, Tables 43 and clear. Emigration was could be reduced drastically. By causing XV. stemmed during the the old, less competent present occupants [Illustration of a child by a turf reek, with the caption: "In 150 years 1960's by a rapid expan- of land to be replaced by the vigorous the Republic has become a place here young people are reared, and sion of national debt young people who now emigrate, such a old people die."] from a narrow base; the tax would also bring an immediate increase 13 of more than 50 per cent in agricultural ments and dangers of having a seriously to 1.1 million; it is now over 1.8 million. output. sick neighbour. It is not in Britain's inter- It is difficult to sustain the thesis that There are other obvious measures to be ests to further depopulate the Republic, Ireland was an economic basket case either taken, such as refinancing the Republic's any more than it is to depopulate Northern in 1972 or now, notwithstanding our cur- crushing burden of national debt. A Ireland, Scotland or Wales. rent travails. rational organization of the Republic's Restricting immigration from the Rep- This is not to say that Ireland has not resources could probably eradicate un- ublic, though immediately painful to had economic problems since Independ- employment and halt emigration over- Britain and the Republic, would bring ence. The economy had the characteristic night. It could raise living standards above long term benefits to both. No other single of being a region of the UK. The industrial those of Northern Ireland in five years and measure would do as much to create in the heartland of the UK absorbed the surplus thereby reduce partition to the status of an Republic those conditions where a more agricultural population of Ireland. Inde- academic issue only. rational, less inefficient organization of pendence involved a struggle against this Britain cannot constructively intervene resources would become politically feas- by the creation of manufacturing industry in the Republic's affairs unless it is prepared ible. Given such a reorganization, the in Ireland. to use a degree of force which is nowadays Republic would develop into a normal, There is no doubt that the UK benefitted politically unacceptable; or to incur finan- healthy prosperous society, where the wild from Irish emigration both before Inde- cial obligations in the Republic twice as men would cause no more difficulty than pendence and afterwards. Ireland educated high as those it now bears in Northern elsewhere. The Republic's greatly expand- her labour force at her own expense for Ireland. Nevertheless there are positive ed trade under those conditions would be export to the UK. In the 1960s this trend measures which Britain can take to minim- far more beneficial to Britain than the had diminished and by the 1970s had been ize the damage, apart from the defensive present disastrous drainage there of half reversed. In the light of this, it was bizarre one of isolating itself as far as is practical its youth. for an Irish academic to enlist the support from its sick neighbour. Raymond Crotty" of Britain at precisely the point when Ireland was least in need of it. First, Britain should inform itself better about conditions in the Republic. It is Some Comments On BIZARRE unnecessary for the British news media to But even if Ireland was in need of help, report every skull cracked in an Irish brawl Raymond Crotty's Article what possible reason could Britain have —remarkably few are. But, on the other Raymond Crotty's 1972 article is similar had for helping her stem the outward flow hand, more discernment is required than to more recent articles by the likes of Morgan of labour? Not only was there no reason was shown, for example, by most of the Kelly and Brian Lucey. There are differ- for Britain to do so, it had an interest in the British press when it described as “an ences, but the main theme is the same: the opposite. The reduction in the flow of Irish economic miracle” the expedient of Irish State has failed. It would appear that Irish labour required Britain to look to her rapidly expanding the national debt to this idea of Crotty represented and contin- other ex-colonies for workers. generate a little unsustainable economic ues to represent mainstream academic The plea by Crotty for Britain to take us growth in the 1960's. thinking, which indicates a strange relation- in hand had nothing to do with objective Britain, in its wisdom, questions contin- ship between academic institutions in this economic circumstances. It represented uously all of the premises on which its country and the Irish State. the early signs of an ideological collapse society rests. It should realize that nothing However, a look at the facts gives a among the national intelligentsia. Britain at all comparable obtains in the Republic very different picture, which shows was only too willing to exploit this which, as a result of emigration that drains sustained progress. weakness. away all constructive opposition, so far John Martin POPULATION from being a society of individualistic After a massive reduction in the popu- rebels, is the most sheepishly conformist APPENDIX lation following what is known as the The following statistics come from an article in the world. That, and the small amount Famine, the population of the Irish Free written by Paul Sweeney of the ICTU for a of public funds spent on education, results State stabilised at around 2.9 million fol- Conference in Canada in May 2004. in poor scholarship generally, but especial- lowing independence. There was a reduct- Net Emigration from Ireland from ly in relation to politics and economics, ion in the population to 2.8 million in the 1850 to 2010 where new, critical ideas and insights tend 1950s, but from then on the population of 1850s 800,000 to be as rare as they are unwelcome. If the 26 Counties has been growing. By the 1860s 697,000 Britain, therefore, would understand its 1870s 502,000 early 1970s when Crotty's article was troubled and troublesome neighbour, it 1880s 597,000 written the population had increased to must apply its own scholarship to research- 1890s 396,000 3.0 million. It is now about 4.5 million. 1900s 262,000 ing and studying the subject. In the 1970s net immigration (immig- 1910s 116,000 The British economy has gained in the ration less emigration) amounted to 1920s 136,000 past from a large inflow of industrious, 104,000; there was net emigration in the 1930s 101,000 adaptable and assimieable [sic] Irish labour 1980s of 208,000. But in the 1990s and 1940s 250,000 without having had the cost of rearing, 1950s 409,000 2000s net immigration amounted to 37,400 educating or training that labour. But it is 1960s 135,000 and 353,200 respectively. now clear that continued drawing on the 1970s minus 104,000 (net immigration) Irish labour pool has entailed unforeseen GROWTH 1980s 208,000 costs for Britain. The protracted, massive From 1960 to 1973 Irish economic 1990s minus 37,400 haemorrhage of people from the Republic growth averaged 4.4% per annum. In the (net immigration) to Britain has corrupted Irish society and Celtic Tiger years annual growth was close 2000s minus 353,200 now subjects Britain to the embarrass- to 10%. Employment in 1961 amounted (net immigration) 14 To page 15, column 3 None of your nasty Irish nationalism please Archives of the UK for "reports FO800/ seems to be their leitmotiv. But a peculiar 310". Alan Hepburn though has no quibble es ahora * thing seems to be happening—the more we about thanking Jack Lane for his seminal are woven into the European community, "Notes on Eire" Espionage Reports to the more that it genuinely seems to constrict Winston Churchill, 1940-'42, Aubane Historical Society, 1999. Moreover in cleav- LIZABETH OWEN IES PIES CADEMICS and what instead seems to happen is that the E B , L , S , & A ing to the evidence, Hepburn stated that, —QUI BONO? Anglo pull is ever more embraced— when writing about Joyce for "Séan O' In the January edition of the Irish Politi- especially amongst those academics/writers Faoláin's Dublin–based magazine 'The cal Review, Brendan Clifford wrote about and journalists. Bell'", and therefore addressing an Irish attending a meeting of the Old Athlone Eibhear Walshe, who produced Eliza- audience, "Bowen rhetorically positions Society where a number of historians gave beth Bowen's Selected Irish Writings in herself as Irish in this summing up of James lectures. What caught my eye, besides Clif- September 2011, is a Senior Lecturer in Joyce's career". ford's brilliant critique of William Sheehan's English and earns somewhat in the region Writing about Bowen and Ireland, Walshe thesis in his book A Hard Local War: The of €130,000 per year. Yet in his Acknow- underscores the nature of the violent British Army and the Guerrilla War in ledgements he accepts that he received Cromwellian colonisation of Ireland, which Cork 1919-21 was the crawshawling of the additional financial help by way of "The gave Bowen's ancestors the land of the academic Dr. Margaret O'Callaghan who College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social dispossessed Irish, by reproducing Bowen's stated that she and her friends felt "policed" Science UCC Publication Fund and the remarks in an Afterword to Bowen's Court by the Aubane Historical Society. Of course National University of Ireland Publication in 1963 to the effect that: "My family got Clifford eviscerates her assertion and I Fund gave me much appreciated grants their position and drew their power from a howled with laughter at the wit with which towards the cost of the volume." Also he situation that shows an inherent wrong." he did so. But actually I too have been told thanks "The UCC Arts Faculty Research In his opening Introductory Essay Walshe that many historians of the revisionist cadre Fund to visit London and from the Royal acknowledges that his intention is this: will do anything not to lecture in places that Irish Academy Mobility Grant to work on "In putting together this representative they think might be attended by the little collection of her views on Ireland, my the Bowen archives ... at the University of purpose is to provide a context for Bow- Aubane grouping. I was amazed to hear Texas at Austin". en's place in Irish literary culture and also that poor Roy Foster is still traumatised by For some reason Walshe feels indebted for the place of Ireland within her own "being attacked" by Aubane in Co. Sligo at to Dermot Keogh and states: "I have dedicat- imagination". the Yeats Summer School in July of 2002! ed this study to Dermot Keogh in gratitude He then allows Maud Ellmann's suggest- He has bitched about being ambushed by a and recognition of his support, outstanding ion (in Elizabeth Bowen, The Shadow Across whole group of the Aubane Society—it scholarship, encouragement and invaluable the Page, Edinburgh University Press, 2003- appears the number grows with each telling friendship". I would like to ask Eibhear JH) that "Bowen's background gave her of it. So I had to go back to look up what had where Keogh's "outstanding scholarship" ample cause for scepticism about national actually transpired. Under the title of is evidenced? But this is academia we are identity", but Eibhear Walshe would argue 'Fostering Illusions' in the 2002 September speaking about, so such mortifying mulch that, at the same time, "Bowen had an issue of the Irish Political Review, the only must be over-stated—I suppose. underlying conviction that she occupied person present was the irrepressible Séan some sort of enabling ideological middle- In 2008, Alan Hepburn, Associate Profes- McGouran who sold pamphlets outside the ground between the British and the Irish". sor of English at McGill University of I know Eibhear is no historian but still that venue at Hawks Well Theatre. Anyone Montreal, published two books—the result comment makes my jaw drop. How can who knows Séan can attest that he is simply of five years of travelling research—on anyone who has actually seen and read her too nice for the "bully role" that Foster has everything that Elizabeth Bowen ever really Reports not accept that Bowen was ideo- consigned for him and that is probably why wrote, whether it was published or never logically committed to Britain's War but Foster claims that there were so many of the published. The books were published by definitely not to Ireland's Neutrality? She Aubane contingent present. What I think Edinburgh University Press and really are that Foster found unforgivable was Séan's an impressive exploration of Bowen's work. unflattering portrait of him in that article He does not reproduce the Bowen War Crotty concluded for the Irish Political Review when he wrote Reports, presumably because the Aubane The figures are determined not only by the condition of the Irish economy but of the Yeats biographer: Historical Society had already completed that work on the proviso that should future other factors such as the condition of the "He is a thin lanky man with such impres- reports be released then they would make rest of the world. It is interesting to note sively brown hair that I thought of Fintan them available to the public. But, quoting that in the 1930s net emigration at 101,000 O'Toole's jibe that Gerry Adams seemed Professor Hermione Lee's book on Bowen, was quite low in historical terms. to have "dyed for Ireland". He has the The figures do not tell the reasons for attributes of a slightly over-the-hill juvenile Hepburn states: "Bowen's political position lead in a jaded West End play." vis-à-vis Ireland falls within the Burkean emigration or the quality of work Irish tradition of “enlightened imperialism”…" emigrants obtained abroad. It is likely, for Oooch! But full quotation from Lee shows how example, that the expectations of those Irish who emigrated in the 1980s were far CUP & EIBHEAR WALSHE much Bowen "disliked Gladstone's policies of disestablishment and Home Rule" and greater than those who emigrated in the The school of English in University Col- how she favoured "the gradual handover of 1950s. lege Cork is wedded to the notion that power with England in a “senior, advisory, Elizabeth Bowen has to be completely Note 1: The figures from 1850 to 1924 kindly role”…". reflect emigration from the island of Ireland. established as a novelist and short story From 1924 onwards the figures relate to the 26 writer of the first order and her Irishness While Eibhear Walshe does reproduce Counties. has to be embraced if we are to be a people six of Bowen's Wartime Reports to the Note 2: The figures for the 2000s come from of forward-looking cosmopolitan taste. Ministry of Information—all funnily enough the Central Statistics Office. in 1942, though she was well established in It Is Time her role in 1940, he thanks the National John Martin 15 certainly obtained enough information to Walshe makes so many errors that it just allow her to assess that Dev and his people really made me question how he can say that Readers may be interested in the letter below, were serious about their stand and she quite he is a Bowen enthusiast if not a scholar! sent to Gerald Nash, the Labour TD for rightly conveyed this information to Britain's Bowen, according to Walshe "had a flat in Louth East Meath, on 30th December 2011 governing elite all the way up to Lord Cran- Regent's Park" when she actually lived in a bourne and even Churchill himself. But she house—2, Clarence Terence—and she was Deserters And Their Champions never identified with the Irish policy of not interviewed by O'Faoláin for The Bell— Equally Unworthy Of Trust neutrality, very much like today's Irish elite in fact it was Larry Morrow, alias The Bell- I heard you on BBC Radio 4 today. historians, writers—and even some politic- man, etc. etc. But one observation made by ians, though the latter are still coy about it. Eibhear Walshe stood out for me—and those I had 6 uncles and one aunt in the British Though Bowen, according to Eibhear's of my readers in the Irish Political Review Forces and a First Cousin in the Merchant reading of her fiction, especially her short might find it amusing also: Marine between the Second Boer and stories where— "In all of these Irish writings, Bowen Second World Wars. All were Irish. "her Anglo-Irish characters are present- looked homewards to North Cork…. How- One Uncle, Warrant Officer Leo Burke, ed as both heroic in terms of courage and ever, unease continues to lurk out in the was killed at Singapore, aged 38 in February endurance, but on the other hand, wilfully North Cork terrain. The tensions of being 1942 when I myself was 6 weeks old. He blind to the lurking menace in the fields Anglo-Irish at a time when Britain was at had joined between the wars. He was once and to the inexorable rise of the New war while Ireland remained neutral accent- punished for punching a superior who made Ireland" (All italics are mine). uated Bowen's ambivalent attitude towards a disparaging remark about the Irish. Ireland." So he once struck a blow for Ireland, for Where Eibhear Walshe goes completely What or who can be lurking out in the which I salute him. By no stretch of the awry is when he stated: imagination did die for democracy or the "Bowen's desire to mediate is seen most North Cork terrain? Almost conspirator- ially Walshe has decided to include— self-determination of any nation and you dramatically during the Second World War should not delude yourself that he did. when she volunteered to write reports for "her controversial reports to the Ministry the Ministry of Information. It was a well of Information. War brought out a new aspect Irish anti-fascists from the Republican -intentioned but ultimately naïve undertaking in Bowen's relationship with Ireland, one and Labour movements joined the Inter- that clouded her reputation in Ireland and which was to damage her reputation: her national Brigade to defend democracy in exposed her lack of insight into Irish anti- fact-finding activities to provide secret reports Spain, and some of them later joined the pathy towards Britain. Born and raised at on Ireland and Irish neutrality for the British British forces because they were against a time of imperial decline, she was unable Ministry of Information. Bowen was paid Fascism. I don't think anyone deserted to understand the resentful attitude tow- for this work but kept it secret from her Irish Oglaigh na hEireann (Parkgate Street) to ards Britain then held by the Catholic maj- connections and friends and this was retro- defend democracy and oppose Fascism in spectively, seen in some quarters in Ireland ority of the Irish state and the keen anti- Spain. I find your contention that those as spying." pathy towards any perceived allegiance who deserted the Irish Army to drop bombs to the British crown by the Anglo-Irish." Then Walshe uses various academics—such on German civilians, or otherwise serve Bowen herself held it was her finest hour as Eunan O'Halpin, Clair Wills and Robert the British forces, were motivated by a and that she had a "good war", and she was Fisk—to talk about the reports, therefore buying commitment to democracy, unconvincing. himself coverage in case whatever is lurking not ashamed for saying so. I can believe that some, when it looked out in the fields of North Cork should go after I also contend that Bowen's Reports were like they'd kill nobody while the rest of the him. He flounders on with his flawed analysis, central to policy in the UK and elsewhere world was mutually murdering each other, saying Bowen said that James Dillon was "a and there was no rush to whip back our ports joined the Brits to be in the fashion. I Fascist sympathiser", which she never ever because the British accepted that we would believe many Norwegians joined with the defend them and they just could not afford to did. He then states: "Her reports show Bowen at her critical Germans to fight the Russians, it was more kick Ireland, whatever anyone else thought fashionable than being in the Resistance. or recommended. Gray of the US legation best in that she adapts and shapes her view could let off all the steam he wanted, but both of Ireland to accommodate this new Irish Ireland declared an Emergency in 1939, the USUK could not afford to be belligerent crisis of identity." allowing the State to suspend Constitutional towards Ireland in reality. And Bowen knew What is the latter about I find myself think- rights, as allowed for by the Constitution in that and she put aside her own feelings and ing? Because Walshe has written a biography an Emergency. The term did not apply to reported the truth of the situation which of Kate O'Brien, he tells us rather extraordinarily the European war then started nor the World James Dillon, for all his brilliant rhetoric and that Bowen met with the former in London but War heralded by Pearl Harbour. It is drama, couldn't see. I have never found the evidence for that. Bowen ignorant and dishonest to pretend otherwise. If Walshe thinks Bowen was "naïve"—he sometimes worked with people that she never I doubt history is your forte. couldn't be more wrong. In fact, he is the one met—such is the life of a busy writer and critic. You are in coalition with a Party which admired who is naïve—certainly he is giving a good And so on Walshe goes and even I eventually and aped the Blackshirts and Brownshirts and example of being so in this book. He goes lost heart. He says this and that and then admits: sent its dupes to Spain in support of the mutinous, into some horrible guff about Bowen and "However, Bowen's own place in Irish literary murderous Fascist Franco. "her marriage" to Séan O'Faoláin. Bowen culture was ambiguous." And finally we come wed Alan Cameron in 1923 at the age of to the end with this rather unexpected Those who deserted the Irish Forces ratted twenty four and in many ways he made her notification: on Ireland, broke their solemn oaths and the sophisticate that she became. She had "For Bowen, Ireland drew out essential could hardly expect to rejoin the Irish public many love affairs and her one with O'Faoláin contradictions within her imagination, and service without some act of expiation. was brief but developed into a kind of the critical works in this collection will, I Britain still had an Empire after the Second friendship. But, as Victoria Glendinning said, hope, illuminate this most important source World War. The deserters had no valid claims she always came back to Alan and she missed for her imagination, her own hyphenated on Ireland. As Irish citizens they were bound him terribly after his death in 1952. He had identity." by their fellow citizens to render fidelity to the always drunk considerably—indeed they all In the next issue of the Irish Political Review, nation. They were unfaithful, and their did and smoked too—but, when he got I will dwell on the launch of the book by Mary champions today are equally unworthy of trust. pensioned off and retired to Bowen's Court, Leland and other Bowen related trivia. Donal Kennedy his drinking became legendary. Julianne Herlihy © 16 Dudgeon, this "hurt" was a factor in the late April 1922 killings. Maybe, maybe not. Not much to go on there. 'The further one gets from Belfast…' Undoubtedly, sectarianism was a feature of Irish society at that time. The A second reply to Jeffrey Dudgeon new state of Northern Ireland emerged on the basis of mass expulsions of thousands I am grateful to Jeffrey Dudgeon for consistent sectarian practice in Northern of Roman Catholics from their houses and replying on the contentious subject of the Ireland (because it is a fact), events like places of work (plus "rotten prods", aka killing of thirteen civilians and four British the April killings are a basis for suggesting socialists who opposed the expulsions), Army personnel in West Cork in late April that the competing Irish ideologies cancel and large-scale killing directed by unionist 1922. I am grateful also to Irish Political each other out, while confirming a need forces. These actions were motivated in Review for facilitating the discussion. for ethnic separation. It is a rationale for large part by anti-Catholicism, otherwise Dudgeon ignored my remarks (Irish partition on the basis of sectarian equival- known as sectarianism (see Kenna). The Political Review, November 2011) on ence, a familiarity that breeds contempt. state of Northern Ireland, in which Peter Hart's errors and misrepresentations I will look at this question of IRA unionists outnumbered nationalists by two concerning the 28th November 1920 sectarianism in two parts, first in terms of to one, settled down to sectarian rule by Kilmichael Ambush. I do not know if that the April killings themselves, second with one community over another (see Higgins means he now accepts my argument. regard to whether they were "emblematic" and Brewer). The state collapsed in turmoil Dudgeon concentrates instead on vindicat- (Dudgeon's term) of a consistent practice. during the late 1960s. It lasted long enough ing Hart's view of the "April killings" in to entrench resistance to reform within West Cork in 1922, seen as "emblematic" PART ONE – APRIL 1922 unionism and to engender an eventual of IRA attacks on Protestants during the Three Protestant men disappeared in point blank refusal by nationalists to again War of Independence period. the early morning of 26th April 1922 in tolerate second-class status. A violent In the course of his reply, Dudgeon Ballygroman, that lay south of the Macroom conflict developed, whose sectarian attempted to demonstrate that Irish Repub- -Ballincollig road, after one of the group features British and unionist counter licanism is anti-Protestant, even though shot dead an IRA officer. That seems to be insurgency measures exacerbated (since republican ideology and action "claim{s} cause and effect. However, three more that suited their political interests). to be non-sectarian". were shot dead early on the 27th in In early 1922 Michael Collins was faced During the late 18th Century some Irish Dunmanway, six were killed over 27th- as head of the new Provisional Government Protestants founded The Society of United 28th April (five around Ballineen-Ennis- (set up under the Treaty with Britain) with Irishmen and a significant number, mainly keane and one in Clonakilty). One more, a reinvigoration of sectarian attacks on Presbyterian, broke from an assumed alleg- the last, was shot dead early on the 29th. Catholics in the emerging state of Northern iance to the colonial system of Protestant On the 28th the nearby Murragh Rectory Ireland; with belligerence from Westmin- supremacy. This tradition of Irish Repub- was fired on and Rev'd. Ralph Harbord ster over failure to fulfil Treaty commit- lican separatism was led by Theobald was wounded. Other premises were fired ments; and with erosion of republican Wolfe Tone. It was influenced by the on. Hotelier Richard Helen claimed he unity as a result of the Treaty. He didn't American and French Revolutions, the escaped his captors in Clonakilty. A want to re-fight the British, was prepared first uprisings in human history to be Farmer, Richard Perrot, claimed he was to confront unionism and hoped but failed influenced by secular as distinct from not home when visited. Most of those to prevent internecine southern conflict religious ideology. The subsequent 1798 affected were Protestant. The premises of over Treaty provisions. Collins, who was United Irishmen-inspired rebellion failed a Catholic bar owner were fired on and a killed in a civil war ambush in August and was brutally suppressed. Catholic former RIC member claimed he 1922, despised sectarianism. His death These Protestant republicans were escaped the attackers. during the southern civil war, and that war considered caste traitors. The best-known Simultaneously, on 26th April at 1pm, itself, probably prevented one between modern example is the last Protestant after the initial Balygroman event, three north and south (see Macardle, p704, 731- Editor of the Irish Times, Douglas Gageby, leading British Intelligence Officers and 2). who considered himself a republican in their driver were arrested nearby in the Wolfe Tone tradition. According to Macroom. They were then executed and It is reasonable therefore to explore Major Thomas McDowell, the newspaper's buried secretly. whether a complementary or responsive then Managing Editor and a fellow Belfast The seventeen killings took place in a savage sectarianism occurred down south, born Protestant, Gageby was (as reported short space of time within a confined area where Roman Catholics were in an initial in 1969 to the British Ambassador to of West Cork. The perpetrators were never majority of 94% to 6%. If we look at the Dublin), "a renegade or white nigger". identified (see Meehan, 2011: references question from the vantage point of the According to Dudgeon, republicans at end of article). 1968-1994 Northern Ireland conflict, and practise "(fake) non-sectarian{ism}". It is Dudgeon's question as to whether ten also reliance by post-Independence south- in essence devious, a kind of Roman of the thirteen civilian killings were ern Governments on Roman Catholic Catholicism of the fundamentalist Protest- sectarian is legitimate. However, his ideology, it seems plausible to suggest ant imagination. This view requires deductive reasoning is weak. On the basis that such might have occurred. In West empirical proof. Depicting most of the that "evidence is slim so supposition is Cork the Protestant population, mostly late April 1922 West Cork killings as king", he observed, "I guess the murder of Church of Ireland, was larger than average. sectarian and as part of a pattern is therefore {Roman Catholic priest} Canon Magner" That is where the "April killings" occurred, important to Dudgeon, who is an Ulster in December 1920 by a British Auxiliary during a period of turmoil after the January Unionist. Since the Ulster Unionist Party (named Harte not "Hart") "remained a 1922 Treaty split, prior to the June onset cannot easily shake off accusations of hurt in the area". Consequently, speculates of civil war. 17 In these highly volatile circumstances Although the Intelligence Officer of the NEW EVIDENCE with no established legitimate authority, area was exceptionally experienced and I originally drew attention to a possible in early April 1922 the British War Office although the troops were most active it connection between the civilian and proved almost impossible to protect those decided in its wisdom to "re-establish{…} military killings and Hart's suppression brave men, many of whom were murdered intelligence services in Southern Ireland" while almost all the remainder suffered of the Busteed evidence (Meehan, 2008a, (in McMahon, p67). This was in violation grave material loss" (in Murphy, 1998). 2008b). John Regan from Dundee Univer- of agreements between the two sides. sity has produced new evidence on the British Army headquarters asked that field In other words, this exceptional group connection. Reagan critiqued Hart in a Intelligence Officers "step up unobtrusive suffered as British allies from accurate talk in Trinity College Dublin in October intelligence gathering" that, "if it could be IRA targeting (see Borgonovo, 2007, on 2011 that Dudgeon attended. Reagan's combined with a visit to friends or a fishing IRA Intelligence capacity). We may ask findings are published in The 'Bandon trip, so much the better". Intelligence whether, in these circumstances after the Valley Massacre' as a Historical Problem gathering had ceased once official hostil- Treaty-split, just before the civil war, (2012b) and in summary in History Ireland ities ended in July 1921. It had been based information extracted from the British (Jan-Feb 2012a). on a network of agents and paid informers officers, or merely knowledge of their The IRA captured the officers, appar- within the civilian population. intent, placed this group in mortal danger? ently held them in Macroom Castle, before This line of enquiry could not have execution and secret burial in Kilgobnet. FISHING FOR INTELLIGENCE emerged from Peter Hart's 1998 book, Free State authorities recovered and The War Office decision sowed the The IRA And Its Enemies, because he repatriated the bodies in September 1923 seeds of an Intelligence catastrophe that suppressed it at source. (Sth. Star, 15 Dec 1923, Ir. Ind., 13, 14 temporarily suspended British evacuation First, Hart cited the Record suggesting Dec 1923). In his attempt to save the from Southern Ireland (Hamilton, p162). that Protestants did not have information, officers, Sixth Division Brigade Major On 26th April the southern-based Sixth in order to reinforce his view that the April (the later famous) Bernard Law Montgom- Division Brigade Intelligence Officer killings were sectarian. He suppressed the ery, "was evidently in a savage mood". He Lieutenant R.A. Hendy, acting on orders, following sentence about the Bandon met with IRA Commandant Dan Donovan, "wished to see the state of affairs at Valley exception, which eviscerated the who was of no help despite intense British Macroom, …making the excuse of lunch- point. Dudgeon consistently fails to military pressure that led to an eyeball to ing with a mutual friend along the way" address this unethical presentation of eyeball confrontation with the IRA (in McMahon, p67). Two battalion evidence by Hart. (Borgonovo, 2011, pp38-9; Hamilton, officers, G.R. Dove and K.L. Henderson, Second, Hart suppressed information p163; see, "Alarm in Macroom, British plus Private R.A. Brooks, their driver, contained in his 1992 PhD thesis that IRA Military Display Follows Kidnapping", accompanied Hendy. All were in civilian officer Frank Busteed claimed he "killed Freeman's Journal, 1 May 1922). attire. The IRA in Macroom became five to six loyalists, Protestant farmers" at Donovan eventually conceded to Mont- suspicious and arrested them. The officers that time (p377). Hart's 1992 thesis (p117- gomery, "it was done by some of the IRA explained, as advised, that they were on a 8) also stated that Busteed, at Macroom who had temporarily seceded fishing trip, but without rods or other "was involved in {killing}… three from control" (Hamilton, p163). That necessary accoutrements. The Intelligence British officers in Macroom and a seems improbable. According to Twohig Officers had lunched en route with their massacre of Protestants in the early (p337-8), the order for the arrest and "mutual friend" in Farran that was near months of 1922" (emph. added, NM). execution of the officers came from IRA Ballygroman (Regan, 2012 a, p79). As we Brigade HQ in Cork, after telephone Those last eleven words are omitted know, early that morning at Ballygroman contact from Macroom second in from the same sentence in Hart's book an IRA officer was shot dead, followed by command, Adjutant Charlie Brown. One (p100). the disappearance of those held respon- of the officers was identified by Browne Third, the actual killing of the officers sible, Protestant loyalist Thomas Horni- as having been involved in torture and and their driver is almost a non-event in brook, his son, Samuel, and a former killing of prisoners in Cork's Victoria Hart's narrative. Hart erroneously reported British officer, Captain Herbert Woods. Barracks during 1921 (ibid; Browne, The (combined with a mistaken reference) that There was something unique about Story of the 7th, 2007, 82). In addition, three more officers were "released" (1998, Intelligence gathering in that particular Frank Busteed claimed that during a raid p280, n49) and also placed the doomed area. It had been based on systematic on his house two of the officers killed his officers' status as spies within inverted informing by Protestant loyalists. We mother by throwing her down stairs commas, in a generalised commentary on know this because the British Army's (O'Callaghan, p190). A significant memoir "conspiracy theories" (ibid). restricted circulation, A Record of the by A.J.S. (Stephen) Brady, son of the Though raised a Catholic, Busteed, Rebellion in Ireland in 1921 and the part Rector of Macroom, reinforces this whose father was Protestant, later became played by the Army in Dealing with it perception. He observed that one of the "an outspoken atheist" (Hart, 1998, p248, (Intelligence), said so. The Record stated officers had previously, n149). Censoring Busteed's involvement that Southern Protestants generally did in both sets of April Killings suppressed a "trussed an IRA {prisoner} like a fowl, not inform because "except by chance, had a rope tied to his ankles, was thrown connection with the execution of the they had not got {information} to give". on the road and dragged behind an army officers and stymied the presentation of a Though this rationale for Intelligence vehicle at high speed to his death" (p196). non-sectarian explanation for the killings. failure is self-serving, the analysis A historian intent on proving sectarian continued, In addition, in a recently published intent would, naturally, find the Busteed volume on the Civil War, John Borgonovo "An exception to this rule was in the evidence an inconvenience. It is difficult noted that "two of the officers, Lt R.A. Bandon area where there were many to see Hart's excisions and failures as Hendy and Lt G.R.A. Dove had been Protestant farmers who gave information. simply the product of misjudgement. implicated in the torture and unauthorised 18 killing of IRA prisoners" (2011, p38). Busteed. He told Ernie O'Malley about Dominion Home Rule in November 1917 As applied to the civilian killings, how- killing "loyalists, Protestant farmers" (at and promptly set up the Unionist Anti ever, Donovan's comment appears that time) in the 1950s and the author of Partition League (see Jackson, 1999, p233; plausible. Possibly, an out of control IRA Execution (1974) about killing the officers 2003, p161, 181-5). party used Intelligence information obtain- and their driver during the early 1970s. As the Anglo-Irish conflict developed, ed during the missing officers episode (or Twohig (p343) records that in 1959 Tom there were more immediate concerns. In earlier) to target those assumed to be in Crofts, former Brigade Adjutant, and December 1920, when K Company of the league with British Intelligence. In other Browne, former Battalion Adjutant, asked Auxiliaries (it appears a significant number words, the exceptional group identified him not to record the story of the killing of of whom were from northern Ireland) later by The Record. Consecutive killings the officers, despite the passage of time. burned Cork, they burned Protestant- over three evenings on 27th-29th April, He complied until 1994. Other than that it owned property. Similarly when Fermoy moving from Dunmanway towards was seen as a Truce violation (though if and Midleton were sacked and many Bandon, with a short detour to Clonakilty, that were the case the British officers were Creameries burned, Protestant-owned suggests a small organised group. in violation also), he gives no reason. property was often the target. A southern Peter Hart's alternative narrative sup- unionist from Bantry, Mr G.W. Biggs, IRA LEADERSHIP ACTION pressed evidence in order to feed a story of wrote in response to Ulster Unionist leader, A horrified local IRA leadership sectarian republican practice that culmin- Edward Carson: immediately set out to halt the civilian ated in an apparently random civilian "I feel it my duty to protest very strongly killings by putting guards on the houses of sectarian massacre. Some of Hart's PhD against this unfounded slander {of those thought vulnerable. Stephen Brady's evidence did not support his IRA sectar- intolerance on the part} of our Catholic neighbours ... I have been resident in memoir details Charlie Browne visiting ianism conclusion and he left it out of his Bantry for 43 years, during 33 of which I his father to assure him, book. Other evidence was misrepresented. have been engaged in business, and I "nobody here would hurt you or anyone Dudgeon objects to my view that Hart have received the greatest kindness, belonging to you. In case strangers may wrote a sectarian history. The alternative courtesy, and support from all classes trouble you though, I'm going to put a is to term it fiction. and creeds in the country" (Ir. Times, 24 guard on the Rectory" (p194). Another view put forward, due to the Jul 1920). The Rector thanked Browne and shook exceptional nature of the event, is that the Bigg's substantial business was then his hand. At a University College Cork civilian killings may have been the action burned down, by the police. His house seminar on "Irish Protestant Identities" in of agent provocateurs, guided by an was commandeered by the military, Biggs honour of Joe Ruane (26 May 2011) the increasingly hysterical Sir Henry Wilson. was forced to send his family to Dublin historian John A. Murphy stated that his No evidence has been put forward in and went himself to live in a hotel. father was the IRA guard in question. On support of mainly English killers Previously-mentioned Sixth Division 28th April IRA Brigade Commandant Tom (presumably) who, in the course of their Brigade Major Bernard Montgomery Hales distributed a "military order" to grisly Machiavellian endeavours, afterwards remarked, "it never bothered battalion commandants threatening managed convincingly to mimic local me a bit how many houses we burned" and "capital punishment if found necessary" accents. "I regarded all civilians as “shinners”" to "any soldier in the area" who "inter- (Hamilton, pp158, 160). Including, it fere{s} with or insults{s} any person" or PART TWO – A PATTERN? seems, Mr Biggs. who did "not… uphold{…} the rigid Dudgeon observed, "My interest is in A letter in the Times of London (30 Sep discipline of a military force". assessing whether the Cork killings were 1920) from John Annan Bryce, younger The welcome of the local Protestant part of a pattern of anti-Protestant brother of a former Chief Secretary for population for this initiative is confirmed attacks". Indeed, Peter Hart portrayed them Ireland, described what happened to Biggs by Brady's memoir and also by Church of as the culmination of activity that began and his business. Annan Bryce complained Ireland clergyman, Rev'd. J.L.B. Deane "from the summer of 1920 onwards" (2002, of a military threat to burn republican- (Ir. Times 10 Nov 1994). Deane noted that p25). The April killings are, therefore owned property if that of loyalists were West Cork Protestants later voted for according to Dudgeon, "emblematic". That targeted. He went on, "there is no justific- Fianna Fail TD Sean Buckley "as a mark can only be so, however, if similar killings ation for the issue of such a notice in this of gratitude and respect for what he had occurred. Otherwise, even if sectarian, district, where the only damage to loyalists' done {as an IRA officer} in 1922" to stop they are exceptional. premises has been done by the police". In the killings. Deane supported previous Here, Dudgeon faces a significant further highly significant correspondence correspondent Christoir de Baroid's obstacle, the testimony of southern Protest- Annan Bryce also told of the arrest and assertion (3 Nov) that a "maverick IRA ants. They refuted allegations of republican deportation back to Ireland of his wife group in south-west Cork" was responsible attacks on Protestants. The pages of the Violet for attempting to speak in Wales on for the killings, that were "stamped out then Protestant Irish Times were littered British reprisal burnings and other atroci- immediately by the local IRA leadership". with letters from Protestants rejecting ties (see correspondence in Church & Deane asserted, contrary to Dudgeon's northern unionist propaganda to this effect. State 86, Autumn 2006). view of a downtrodden population, that Southern unionists joined in the attack. STRICTLY STRICKLAND "the community affected… had long since It is not difficult to source the basis of Dudgeon observed that "pretty well drawn a line under {the killings} and is southern unionist pique. They felt betrayed every Protestant on the island was guilty living in harmony with its neighbours". by Ulster unionists and their support for of {the type of} helpfulness" provided by We can't be sure that this is what Partition under the 1920 Government of Bandon Valley loyalists. Self-evidently, happened. Those who killed the military Ireland Act. The southern unionist leader, that is not the case. A more typical attitude personnel and the civilians did not adver- Earl Midleton, was expelled from the Irish is perhaps illustrated by this Cork episode: tise their responsibility, apart from Frank Unionist Alliance for proposing limited "One day {Cork Divisional Com- 19 mander General Strickland} stamped into Cork Lord Mayor Tomás McCurtain), Alice Stopford Green, have provided a my father's office and in his extremely cites Wolfe on rejecting the notion emphat- safe house for Eamon deValera and rude, brusque manner said, “Look here ically (Ungoed-Thomas). Wolfe insisted Michael Collins, and for meetings of Dáil Clarke, you are trusted by both sides: it's afterwards that, though he was subject to Ministers, if the Dáil was directing attacks your duty to give me information”. Father, looking him in the eye, calmly said, “I attack, this was not because of his religious on fellow Protestants? (ibid, pp157,167- will not inform against my own country- beliefs, but rather due to his leading 8) Could Erskine Childers, Robert Barton men. It is your duty to control the rabble position within the British administration and Ernest Blythe have led republican your government has let loose on Ireland. during a period of armed conflict. His resistance to British rule if such were the Good morning”. Going purple in the face, grandson biographer recently expressed case? the General stormed out, crossed the Mall "surprise" at allegations of republican or Thus, there is no evidential support for to Grandfather's office, and received nationalist sectarianism. Jasper Wolfe had a "pattern" of sectarian attacks in the virtually the same reply". (Pyne Clarke, 1985, p.52-3). never raised them in often-told tales of south against Protestants, as occurred in being, the north against Roman Catholics. According to another Times (London) "kidnapped by the IRA, or attempts to shoot him, or of his house on the outskirts SOUTHERN COCOON correspondent (27 Jan. 1921) Strickland's of Skibbereen being occupied by Repub- After Independence, southern Protest- proclamation threatening to prosecute licans or Free Staters in turn. But I never ants were concerned that their relative those who withheld information "aroused heard any suggestion of sectarian hostility socio-economic advantage be maintained. protests from loyalists in the South", as "it towards the Wolfes, whether from the It was, so much so that twenty-five percent is {now} an offence to remain neutral". I.R.A., from their Catholic neighbours, of senior Executives in banking and or indeed from any Catholics at all" This letter mentioned the fate of West industry in southern Ireland in the early (2010). Cork loyalist John Bradfield who was 1970s were Protestant. In the 2006 Census, shot, having been "found guilty of having Had sectarian attacks on Protestants Protestants generally were in possession attempted to inform the enemy of the been a feature of the their experience, the of larger farms and disproportionately presence and movements of Republican former Crown Solicitor, who also coordin- occupied higher status managerial, techni- troops". A cousin of Bradfield's was shot ated local loyalist compensation claims cal and professional categories (Meehan, soon afterwards in similar circumstances. during the later 1920s, would have said 2010). The final April killings victim fourteen so, surely. Protestant population decline in the months later on 29th April 1922 was a If Dudgeon wishes to reject the testi- South began in the 19th Century, as third Bradfield cousin (see Meehan, 2011). mony of fellow unionists, albeit southern Protestant privilege was eroded, penal The post-Truce killing of Bradfield was ones, so be it. Dudgeon could take his cue laws were abolished and the British regarded differently from that of his from a loyalist Roman Catholic, John M. Government attempted to ally with an relations. Protestants protested the April Regan, who transferred from the RIC to emerging conservative Roman Catholic- killings, contrary to Dudgeon's inane belief the RUC. His memoir observed, "the fur- ism. This occurred during a period of that they "kept their heads down" on the ther one gets from Belfast the less sectar- catastrophic overall population decline subject. A Protestant Convention was held ianism there is generally" (in Augusteijn, that began during and after the Famine of on 11th May 1922, two weeks after the ed, p78). Regan did not mention sectarian- 1845-48. Relative Protestant population April killings, that packed out Dublin's ism as a factor while stationed in the decline intensified in the period 1911-26, Mansion House. It resolved— south, but experienced it personally after during the period of the First World War, "We place on record that, until the transferring to what is now Northern War of Independence and Civil War, and recent tragedies in the County Cork, Ireland. its aftermath. Economic factors, combined hostility to Protestants by reason of their Southern unionists were alienated from with the decline of imperial economic and religion has been almost, if not wholly, northern counterparts and increasingly social privileges, the attraction of Empire unknown in the Twenty six counties in estranged from the British Government which Protestants are in a minority." and of the 'Mother country' itself, alongside and its forces. British policy, not the IRA, some antipathy toward Irish nationalism The participants, in condemning the attacked the material interests of Protest- and the sad state of the Irish economy April killings, were not prepared to make ants. That, in the main, is what concerned during the 1920s, all probably played their concessions to Ulster Unionist propaganda them. part. UCC historian Professor John A that set out to muddy the waters of That is not to suggest that all Protestants Murphy, whose republican family roots responsibility for aggravated sectarianism were unionists (never mind active loyalists are in West Cork, referred to the notion of in the new state of Northern Ireland. The of the type the Bandon Valley appears to Protestants being driven from their land Rector of Macroom told a British officer have produced). A significant number had, and occupations in the 1920s as "Paisleyite investigating the disappearance of the like Douglas Gageby and African National myth mongering" (Sun. Ind., 4 Oct 2004; Intelligence Officers, that "he personally Congress counterparts later in South on this, generally, Meehan, 2010). had nothing to complain of as regards the Africa, the status of "white niggers". Dr. Far from being attacked, post-Independ- way {the IRA} were treating him" (Brady, Dorothy Stopford, a Protestant who went ence southern Protestants existed within a p195). on to pioneer TB inoculation in southern self-administered and largely beneficial PROTESTANT MEMOIR Ireland, ministered to the injuries of IRA cocoon. Conservative Irish Governments Memoirs and biographies by or about Volunteers in West Cork and gave lectures got on with socially controlling the Roman Protestants in West Cork are to hand. on first aid to Cumann na mBan (the Catholic majority, particularly its working None mention a sectarian campaign women's IRA auxiliary, see O'Broin, class members and some occasionally against Protestants. The biography, by his pp167-72, 220-73). Could she have given bothersome artists and intellectuals, grandson, of Jasper Wolfe, Crown Solici- her allegiance to such a force, were it through the welfare agencies and ideolog- tor during the conflict (who represented engaged in a pattern of attacks on co- ical pronouncements of the Roman Catho- the RIC at the inquest into their killing religionists? Could her Aunt, the historian lic Church. The same type of people 20 affronted the rulers of Northern Ireland, Catholicism in Northern Ireland, 1600-1998: bombings and arson attacks), more than where physical substituted for social the Mote and the Beam, 1998 his diaries, that ensured no intervention Jackson, Alvin, Ireland, 1798-1998, 1999 control. - Home Rule, An Irish History 1800-2000, by President Woodrow Wilson to save In the South religious affiliation does 2003 him from execution. not generally affect everyday social inter- Kenna, G.B. (pseud., Fr John Hassan), Facts Manus asserted (p21) "there is not the and Figures, the Belfast Pogroms, 1920-22, course. In February 2006 Kevin Myers, a 1997 (orig. publ. 1922) slightest evidence that Wilson had any supporter of Peter Hart's work, commented Macardle, Dorothy, The Irish Republic, a awareness in 1916 of Casement's name on a spontaneous and generally opportunist Documented Chronicle of the Anglo-Irish cropping up in association with German Conflict and the Partition of Ireland, with a riot directed at police in Dublin's city Detailed Account of the period, 1916-23, 3rd sabotage operations" so doubting my centre. A loyalist 'Love Ulster' band parade ed., 1999 (orig. publ., 1937) "flamboyant claim… that Wilson's refusal for loyalist victims (some of whom served McMahon, Paul, British Spies and Irish Rebels, to intervene on behalf of Casement's life… 2009 in the official security forces) was aband- Meehan, Niall, 'After the War of Independence, was primarily due to knowledge of the oned before it started and provided the some further questions about West Cork, contents of intercepts that had yet to be catalyst. Myers wrote, April 27-29 1922', IPR, v. 23, n. 3, March decoded". It is thus Manus's case that 2008a "the rioters know that the RTÉ - 'Troubles in Irish History', in Brian Murphy, Wilson's only reason for silence was journalist Charlie Bird was a Protestant, Niall Meehan, Troubled History, 2008b homophobia—not American interests. and accordingly beat the bejasus out of - '"Protestants were left as orphans"', Church After a compliment to me, Manus indic- him?" & State 102, 4th qtr, 2010 - 'Distorting Irish History Two, the road from ated surprise that I should "attempt to A response from Times journalist Eug- Dunmanway: Peter Hart's treatment of the minimise President Woodrow Wilson's ene McEldowney appeared, 1922 'April killings' in West Cork', wholehearted embrace of the Ulster Pres- Spinwatch.Org, 24 May 2011 "I am indebted to Kevin Myers for the Murphy, Brian, 'The IRA and its Enemies' byterian prejudice to "Save Ulster (and information that my friend and colleague, (review), The Month, Sept-Oct 1998 the World) from Sodomy!". This "emb- Charlie Bird of RTÉ, is a Protestant (Irish O'Brien, Mark, The Irish Times, a History, race" is the reason invoked for the Presid- Times, February 28th). I have known 2008 O'Broin, Leon, Protestant Nationalists in ent declining to seek clemency for Charlie for 34 years and until now this Revolutionary Ireland, the Stopford Casement from the British Government. information had escaped me, largely Connection, Gill & Macmillan, 1985 He later states it was obvious that "Presi- because I never thought to enquire. Kevin O'Callaghan, Sean, Execution, 1974 obviously pays closer attention to such Pyne Clarke, Olga, She Came of Decent People, dent Wilson's raw-nerve of pure-and- fine details than I do. But how fiendishly 1985 simple Ulster Presbyterian homophobia clever of the Dublin lumpenproletariat to Regan, John M, 'The 'Bandon Valley Massacre' had been touched in July 1916". as a Historical Problem', History, v. 97, n. have uncovered this same information. 325, Jan 2012a It is anachronistic and itself religiously Now that he has raised the issue of a - 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the Two Histories', prejudiced to suggest President Wilson sectarian headcount, perhaps Kevin History Ireland, v. 20, n. 1, Jan-Feb 2012b and Ulster Presbyterians were suffused would use his investigative skills to give Twohig, Patrick, Green Tears for Hecuba, us a religious breakdown of the injured Ireland's Fight for Freedom, 1994 with a peculiar homophobia at the time, gardaí? " (Ir. Times, 3 Mar 2006). Ungoed-Thomas, Jasper, Jasper Wolfe of one it is implied which lingered on until Skibbereen, 2008 my Strasbourg case 60 years later—and - 'IRA Sectarianism in Skibbereen?' Skibbereen Before accusations of sectarian activity and District Historical Society Journal, Vol. Dr. Ian Paisley's and Peter Robinson's are made, either in newspapers or in history 6, 2010 unsuccessful "Save Ulster from Sodomy" books, great care should be taken in the Niall Meehan campaign in the 1970s. presentation of evidence. This correspondence is now The prejudice against homosexuals was Anti-sectarianism is in the objective closed. Editor in Casement's time universal. Next to interests of all Irish people. Understanding nobody, except some advanced Liberals its political and social roots is an important were other than utterly condemnatory. It part of recognising how to get rid of it. In Reply by Jeff Dudgeon To Manus O' Rior- is plain too that the longstanding campaign dan's Articles On James Larkin In Irish the War of Independence and its aftermath by Catholic nationalists and Republicans Political Review (October, December 2011) Irish republicans were not involved in to deny the authenticity of Casement's perpetuating sectarian politics in Ireland. Black Diaries was entirely motivated by a Ulster Unionists sowed those seeds and The 1934 Larkin horror of the hero patriot being revealed eventually reaped a whirlwind. Affidavit: A Comment as a homosexual and as engaging in sodomitical practices. BOOKS CITED The attitude of the Archbishop of Augusteijn, Joost (ed.), Memoirs of John M. Manus O'Riordan, in his Irish Political Regan, a Catholic Officer in the RIC and Canterbury, Dr. Randall Davidson, is a Review article, 'The 1934 Larkin Affidavit' RUC 1909-48, 2007 rare example in 1916 of at least a Borgonovo, John, Spies, Informers and the (Part I, October, pp. 21-25), attacks James compassionate attitude to gays. The 'Anti-Sinn Fein Society': the Intelligence War Larkin at length for an affidavit he made in Cork City, 1919-1921, 2007 Archbishop, like others, first tried to to American commercial lawyers in 1934. - The Battle for Cork: July-August 1922, 2011 promote the insanity argument in order to Brady, AJS (Stephen), The Briar of Life, 2010 This named many of those involved, bring about a reprieve. He wrote, Browne, Charlie, The Story of the 7th, 2007 including Irish socialists, in German sabo- Hamilton, Nigel, Monty, the Making of a General 1887-1942, 1981 tage operations in the US and Canada in "If Casement is now guilty in the vicious Hart, Peter (PhD Thesis), The Irish Republican 1915-17. This collaboration is described way alleged it may be taken as further Army and its Enemies, Violence and as unconscionable, indeed reprehensible, evidence of his having become mentally Community in Cork, 1916-23, 1992 something never before noticed. unhinged. I have to do pretty frequently - The IRA and its Enemies, Violence and with problems of vice of that sort, and I Community in Cork, 1916-23, 1998 I was then criticised, in passing, for suppose it is indisputable that sometimes - 'Definition, Defining the Irish Revolution', in having suggested in my Casement book Joost Augusteijn, ed., The Irish Revolution, a mental upset takes the shape of vicious 1919-23 that it was Casement's contribution to this behaviour, especially of an unnatural Higgins, Gareth I, and John D Brewer, Anti- sabotage (it comprised some one hundred kind." 21 As I wrote, "Dr Davidson being an man military attaché in Washington "had no bility that McCloy, like Woodrow Wilson, Anglican would have, as he said, more hand in the July 1916 explosion on 'Black was another American of Ulster Presbyterian experience of the subject", while he Tom' Island in New York Harbour" nor was stock. exhibited due Christian charity saying, he ever "accused of complicity in that act" He also asserts, as stated earlier "there is "One feels that an incident such as this (Part II, December 2011, From Sing Sing to not the slightest evidence that Wilson had sends us all to our knees and that is really Sing and Sing,pp19-23). any awareness in 1916 of Casement's name all we can say, but it is the best". This is Republican-lawyer argumentation cropping up in association with German He was to make a final plea to the Lord not an historian's assessment. It is unworldly sabotage operations", partly, as the inter- Chancellor two days before the execution, not to assume von Papen was involved in cepts which I quoted "had yet to be decoded" and in a last artful throw tried to turn the long-planned acts of sabotage since he was (Part I, October, p22). circulation of the diaries to Casement's expelled six months earlier, being properly I am afraid this will not do. It is accepted advantage. He adduced the fear that people "accused by the US government of complicity that British Intelligence decoded the cables in America and Ireland would make in a plan to blow up US railroad lines". going to and from Germany's Washington mischievous capital of the execution embassy, for one, and in sufficient time to It is most likely that Larkin was of the act on them. Why they often failed to act is "far more so if they could (as they view that the German National Socialist would) spin a tale to the effect… that the another question. Government was a great threat to socialism authorities had been privy to the trumping When I mentioned that it is unclear "when up of an infamous story about the man's and that his affidavit was given in "an anti- these messages were decrypted", I was not Nazi context". The affidavit came in 1934, a immorality, an accusation with which he suggesting it happened long after the event, had never been confronted." year after von Papen became Hitler's deputy rather that it was unclear which day they and Vice-Chancellor of Nazi Germany. were decrypted and indeed who was told, In contrast, it is worth noting that sixty Although he left government after the when, of their contents. I did point out that years later, during my Strasbourg case, the 1934 executions during and around the Night Cardinal Archbishop of Armagh, Tomás Ó London, through decrypts, knew about the of the Long Knives and the extinction of Easter Rising a month before it happened. Fiaich, endorsed the British Government's German democracy, von Papen did not leave It is absurd to suggest that President attempt to maintain the criminalisation of power. He became Ambassador in Vienna homosexual men in Northern Ireland. One Wilson was unaware of Casement's name until the 1938 Anschluss with Austria, and cropping up before the execution. As he had could be permitted to ask Manus if Irish was then posted to Ankara to the key post of gone over to the Germans after his stay in Catholicism is also homophobic or simply Ambassador to Turkey. paedophiliac? America and his 1914 contacts with von Franz von Papen was therefore at the Papen, it was hardly remarkable to assume The British Ambassador in Washing- centre of the Nazi operation for more than a he had conspiratorial connections with both ton, Sir Cecil Spring Rice, sympathetic to decade. He was far from uncomplicit in the clemency for Casement but stymied by German diplomats and Irish revolutionaries. events of that period, especially in the 1930s. British decrypts naming Casement however London, perhaps started this prejudice Larkin could have done no other than assume were not even necessary for a case as the US against President Wilson. Brian Inglis in he was part of Hitler's system, indeed an his biography quotes him saying, "The had a sufficiency of knowledge tying both enthusiastic supporter. He was certainly him and von Papen to sabotage. President is by descent an Orangeman and privy to most of its crimes, endorsing the by education a Presbyterian", adding his regime with his presence until he left office The reality is that on Tuesday 18 April own view that "Wilson's sympathies were in 1944 – despite acquittal at Nuremberg of 1916 the Americans raided the offices of with the allies, and with Ulster" (p357). the specific charge of "crimes against peace". Wolf von Igel, a German diplomat mas- The Ambassador's opinion carried no Manus writes, "Nor can any amount of querading as a an advertising executive in accusation of homophobia (although the either foresight or hindsight justify Larkin New York, and gathered up a cache of word had not then been coined nor when 'fingering' von Papen in 1934 for conspir- documents left lying out on sabotage Inglis wrote). Spring-Rice was from a acy to commit murder in the USA" (Part II, operations in the US, on Casement and on Limerick background and had a cousin, p. 20). I hope if I was in Larkin's position I von Papen amongst many others. (See the Mary Spring Rice, involved with Case- would have fingered von Papen. Present New York Times news article of 23 ment in the 1914 Howth gunrunning. She sight of him as Hitler's deputy would have September 1917 http://query.nytimes.com/ was famously photographed beside been sufficient justification. Frank Ryan is mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9502E ammunition boxes and rifles on the Asgard excused for vastly more collaboration with 6D9103AE433A25750C2A96F9C946696D6CF) with Mrs. Erskine Childers. The Ambas- the Nazi regime than Larkin is for an affidavit The seized documents were erroneously sador probably retained a certain sympathy over events nearly twenty years earlier. thought by John Devoy to be the reason for for Home Rule and a concomitant Casement's capture on Good Friday in Kerry. antagonism to Ulster. I didn't intend to take up a defence of In fact his arrest was a matter of luck as the Manus's view however probably says Larkin until I realised the two articles had British had not warned the RIC in Tralee of more about his own prejudices regarding charged and convicted him in an unfair and his imminent arrival. Whether decrypts of Ulster Presbyterians than about homophobia. unbalanced way. It is not as if the US author- Berlin's January 1915 message to von Papen ities acted against any of the people he in Washington specifically naming Case- On the main topic, attributing Larkin's named. There was no felon setting involved. ment as someone suggesting people behaviour (and his lapse from socialist Manus seems desperate to convict and "suitable for sabotage in the United States" virtue) in providing this affidavit to a pro- then excuse him although I cannot see why. reached Wilson matters not. He knew longed nervous breakdown and "severe He is however guilty of writing history enough by April 1916 to be assured depression" is unconvincing and eviden- backwards, with England, as usual, being Casement = von Papen = US sabotage and tially lacking. defined as a criminal nation for acting in its thus was someone he was not going to be I would argue the view, one Manus own interests. For some reason this does not seeking a reprieve for. discounts, that it is much more likely it was apply to other countries as if none, parti- the involvement of Franz von Papen in the cularly Ireland, acts on self-interest. Manus admits to being wrong about Hitler government that prompted Larkin's In tangential musings, he deals at length Larkin (plus neglecting the 1934 affidavit) statement, particularly as it was not then a with the role of American statesman John and will have to again over President police matter but a commercial compen- McCloy who in 1934 was the lawyer who Wilson's supposed lack of awareness of sation claim. persuaded Larkin to prepare the affidavit. Casement's link to German sabotage. Manus writes that von Papen, the Ger- Oddly he does not speculate over the proba- 28 December 2011 22 Ireland, asserted that: 'It was perfectly true that the wounded had been put to death after the ambush, but the reason Crozier Antidotes For Hart Maladies for this barbarous inhumanity became understandable although inexcusable … Last October 16th, the Irish edition of and I refused, telling the 'disloyal' ele- Arms were supposed to have been sur- the Sunday Times carried a letter from ments to search for 'Patriotism' and come rendered, but a wounded Auxiliary whip- Pierce Martin denouncing columnist and tell me when they had found it, as I ped out a revolver while lying on the threw my letters of appointment into a Justine McCarthy for not bowing down ground and shot a 'Shinner' with the dustbin, it was that British Government result that all his comrades were put to before the myths created by a certain which was 'disloyal'—not I" (pp12-13). death with him, the rebels 'seeing red', a academic historian whom he lauded as "In February 1921 … defenceless condition akin to going mad' (Crozier, "the courageous and woefully denigrated Protestant women of the shopkeeper class Ireland For Ever, 1932, p 128). Crozier Peter Hart, who cannot defend himself were looted by armed policemen near stated that 'I journeyed to Cork to find out from a cold grave". I find Martin's special Trim. The officer in chief command of the truth about this carnage, and as I was pleading that Hart should be allowed to the Auxiliaries proceeded to the scene of in mufti and unknown, learned a great the disreputable armed robbery, in order escape from critical analysis particularly deal, not only about the ambush.' That a to administer justice. Some thieves he senior British police officer could have hard to stomach, having spoken by the handed over to the military for trial. These infiltrated the West Cork IRA to such an side of Frank Ryan's cold grave in defence were subsequently tried and sent to prison. extent is simply incredible. It is clear that of his reputation (see http://irelandscw. Other men he sent back to England for Crozier picked up this information— com/org—RyanComm.htm for that Oct- Ireland's good. The Government sent the which certainly does have an authentic ober 2005 commemorative oration) a week latter back to Ireland to duty because they ring about it—after he had resigned and after the Irish Times had facilitated a very knew too much and threatened to expose after he had become persona grata with in the Press the truth about the burning of much alive Peter Hart in publishing his Michael Collins. Much of the material in Cork! Later, certain of the men submitted his book clearly came from this source." character assassination and sneering to mock trial and were acquitted! Eng- reference to "Frank Ryan, the Republican land's honour was saved and, what was Hart was calling Crozier a liar. But it saint / Nazi collaborator". Character much more important, Cabinet jobs as would be wrong to consider this a case of assassination of those lying in cold graves well! Meanwhile the chief officer who the pot calling the kettle black, for there is was very much part of Hart's stock-in- went to Trim to enquire into the facts no evidence to suggest that Crozier was trade and became the means by which he resigned in disgust on account of the condonation of police crime by the lying and much convincing evidence point- established his academic notoriety. Hart Government. During debates in the House ing to the exact opposite. Contrary to even claimed to have conducted a "live" of Commons and in answer to questions another whopper of a lie on Hart's part, interview with some already in their about the chief officer concerned and the Crozier never claimed he had "infiltrated graves! Irish Chaos, many different stories were the West Cork IRA". Hart seems to have Here I am concerned with Hart's char- told in order to bolster up the Government gone out of his way—whether through acter assassination of an Englishman, and discredit Ireland. The writer was the malice or ignorance or both—to obscure Brigadier-General F.P. (Frank Percy) chief officer! He knows! These things can happen more easily in India than in the fact that Crozier undertook not one but Crozier, whose 1931 book— A Word To England. The writer knows! The ten two investigations of Kilmichael. Crozier's Gandhi—I discussed when refuting Fintan commandments are inoperative in India conclusions from his second investigation O'Toole's attempt to suggest a Widgery- in certain quarters. The eleventh—thou were related as follows by Meda Ryan ( style "mitigating factor" in his account of shalt not be found out—rules the day. my emphasis): the 1920 Bloody Sunday massacre. (Irish The eleventh commandment ruled the Political Review, January 2012). Crozier's day in the times of the 'Black-and-Tan' "Of significant importance is the testi- mony of Brigadier General Crozier, dedication reads as follows: Coalition till they were found out, when the Coalition died" (pp95-96). commander of the Auxiliaries from 1919 "To the experience and prophetic to 1920. He came to Ireland (having insight of my Grandfathers, F H Crozier, I am not here going to repeat the detailed resigned) {in February 1921, MO'R} Esq, Honourable East India Company's 'as a civilian, at the request of Sir Hamar refutations of Hart's character assassin- Service and Madras Civil Service, some- Greenwood to give evidence' on the times Special Agent at the Court of His ation of Tom Barry in respect of the Auxies' Kilmichael ambush. In his 'Unpublished Highness the Maharaja of Vizeanagrum, false surrender during the November 1920 Memoirs' (published posthumously by and Major W F Percy, for many years a Kilmichael Ambush, the most The Kerryman in March 1938) he wrote: Resident Magistrate in the West of comprehensive being that by Meda Ryan. 'I took particular care to enquire into this Ireland, this volume is due." (See www.indymedia.ie/article/69172?& story of mutilation, as it appeared to me Crozier was of the opinion that he pos- condense_comments=false#comment104437 to be quite unlike the normal or abnormal act of Irishmen. The correct story I found for my review of Meda's 2003 biography, sessed more than enough British Imper- to be as follows: The lorries were held up ialist experience in his pedigree to write Tom Barry—Irish Freedom Fighter.) My by land mines and the leading lorry was authoritatively on both Ireland and India. concern here is with Hart's character assas- partly destroyed. The men were called And this was only the icing on his own sination of Crozier on this issue, on pages upon to surrender and did so throwing up personal experience. Here is how Crozier 36 to 37 of his now long-discredited 1998 their hands and grounding their rifles. recounted his resignation from the tome, The IRA & Its Enemies. Hart wrote: Each policeman carried a revolver in command of Britain's RIC Auxiliaries: addition to a rifle. One policeman shot a "Barry's 'history' of Kilmichael … is Sinn Féiner at close quarters with his "When the British Government ordered riddled with lies and evasions. There was revolver after he had grounded his rifle me, in my 'patriotic' position of 'loyal' no false surrender as he described it. The and put his hands up. A hand-to-hand police officer, to condone crimes of viol- surviving Auxiliaries were simply 'exter- combat of the fiercest kind ensued, the ence committed by its patriotic, loyal, minated'… General Crozier, after resign- butts of rifles, revolvers, crowbars being armed and uniformed servants, against ing and becoming a vocal critic of the used, hence the battered condition of the defenceless and 'loyal' women in Ireland, Auxiliary Division and British policy in police. When it is intended to kill a man 23 with a butt—end there is no hitting him scales falling from his eyes all at once. They certainly weren't. And—despite on the legs.'" Writing in 1931 of his first, January 1921, Hart's suggestion through the manner of Ryan commented: "This account clari- investigation of Kilmichael, he tells us his characterisation in this Chapter— fies that the 'false surrender' story was in exactly how he saw it at the time, con- neither was Busteed a Catholic bigot of circulation in the area shortly after the cluding that there had indeed been an any sort. Indeed, being gender- as well as ambush, and was not fabricated by Tom Auxie false surrender, while still believing ethnically-precise, it was none other than Barry or anybody else later" (Tom Barry, that the Auxie corpses had been subjected that same Frank Busteed who was the p81). Indeed, Crozier had previously made to post mortem mutilation. It was only on only "son of Cromwell" involved—the clear that the 'false surrender' story was the occasion of his second investigation, exception that proved the rule, or not? already in circulation no later than two undertaken subsequent to his February Hart seemed to have forgotten himself, months after the Ambush, on the occasion 1921 resignation, that he concluded that for, in an earlier Chapter, entitled "Guer- of his first investigation, undertaken a allegations of mutilation also constituted rillas", he had written (my emphasis): month before his resignation: a false accusation. "Frank Busteed, a Blarney mill worker, joined the Fianna Eireann—the repub- "During the last month of 1920 the There is yet another issue where we lican boy scouts—in 1910, under the English people were horrified to read in influence of his ultranationalist mother. their newspapers that a party of Auxiliary might compare Hart and Crozier—how they would have responded to the follow- Busteed's deceased father had been a 'Black-and-Tans', about eighteen strong, Protestant although Busteed himself was had been ambushed by Sinn Feiners in ing rhetorical question posed by Gerard raised as a Catholic and later became an County Cork and that all, save one man Murphy in 2010: outspoken atheist. He moved up to join who had a miraculous escape, had been "Certainly men (or women) sent in by the Volunteers in 1917 … Busteed was butchered to death, while lying wounded Dublin Castle or British Military Intel- soon elected as captain of the Blarney on the ground. The evidence against the ligence could and should be described as company and was also invited to join the Irish assassins and mutilators seemed spies. Similarly those members of the IRB but was (he says) turned down complete. Corpses were found bearing IRA or their families who volunteered because of local prejudice over his many terrible wounds. The one survivor information on their colleagues should 'Protestant' name. This did nothing to could not explain anything, as he was be called informers. But should a loyalist alter his militancy, however … In late completely inarticulate from shock and such as Mrs Lindsay, who happened to 1919 … (Busteed) took up arms full— wounds." notice IRA men preparing for an ambush time in his new capacity as vice O/C of "I knew the Irish well; I had spent most and reported it to save lives (after the Donoughmore Battalion. From of my schoolboy holidays not very far informing the local priest to convey the January 1920 on, Busteed took part in from the spot where this dreadful message to the IRA and thus save lives on nearly every ambush or barracks attack massacre took place. I could hardly both sides) also be called a spy or between Cork and Macroom, as well as believe my ears when I was told the tale informer, even though she was only being numerous operations and executions with in a hospital in which I was incarcerated true to her own convictions?" (The Year the city gunmen. When a battalion column while suffering from serious injuries Of Disappearances: Political Killings in was formed in November 1920 he was {from a road accident—MO'R}. Cork 1921—1922, pp63-64). the obvious choice as commander, and Meanwhile, Parliament gloated and he held the post until the Truce. His revolted over the foul deed, the Irish and mother's death after a British raid only the police being whipped up to further In 1998, in his "Spies and Informers" Chapter, Peter Hart did in fact write: increased his passion for revenge, which atrocities by the lies told. Following the he took out on a considerable number of reception of the news about Kilmichael, "Cork IRA officers routinely insisted suspected 'spies' and 'informers' … It was four unarmed Irishmen were brutally that those executed were proven, con- he who planned the Dripsey ambush in murdered in Dublin. I determined to victed traitors. 'We were careful that January 1921 ('a bit of a debacle'— proceed to the scene of the atrocity, before a spy was shot it had to be a Busteed) and the consequent kidnapping unknown, unrecognisable and alone, to definite case of spying.' (Sean Culhane). of Mrs Lindsay and her chauffeur" (p248). learn the truth, as soon as I was well Some were indeed 'guilty', if only by IRA enough to travel. I went to County Cork standards… Mary Lindsay did help give And how might Crozier have responded in January, unannounced. Staying in a away the Dripsey ambush… The song— small hotel, alone, I made enquiries and 'Where the Dripsey River Flow'—refers to Murphy's question? This is what Frank visited the scene of the disaster. {All to the betrayal of the Donoughmore Crozier had actually written in 1931, under emphases mine—MO'R.} What did I Battalion column on 28 January 1921, the heading of "The Lesson of Muddled find? There had been an ambush—an act which resulted in the death of one Murdering": of war—in the martial law area. Some Volunteer and the execution of three "Mr Bell was a resident magistrate policemen had been killed and wounded, others. The only 'son of Cromwell' who had been specially deputed to carry while the remainder surrendered, when involved was a woman, Mrs Mary out an investigation into Republican bank suddenly a policeman in the act of sur- Lindsay … Mrs Lindsay was separated balances. As he began to know too much, render whipped out a revolver and shot a from her Catholic neighbours by class, he was dragged out of a tram-car and shot Sinn Feiner dead. The Irishmen, 'seeing creed, loyalty, and a whole battery of dead, in crowded Dublin, the assassins red', killed all the police save one whom myths and prejudices (including her own) escaping in confusion… But the real they thought was dead. That is the true which combined to form an insurmount- cause of the assassin's escape was that explanation of the 'butchery' at able ethnic barrier. Frank Busteed the population was beginning to revolt Kilmichael. What I found out, the British revealed some of these when he told her against the blood-lust policy introduced Government could have found out. What {and here Hart drew on the quotation into Ireland by the descendants of Oliver I wanted to know—the truth—politicians attributed to Busteed by Sean O'Callaghan Cromwell …" (My emphasis—MO'R). had no wish to know" (A Word to Gandhi, in his 1974 book Execution—MO'R}: "Mrs Lindsay was a very gallant old 1931, pp93-94). 'Listen you old bitch, you think you are British lady who died because of her dealing with a bunch of farm labourers, patriotism to England. She was 'let down' What makes Crozier all the more the men who will touch their caps to you by her Unionist friends. Hearing of an credible and convincing is that he never and say 'Yes, Madam', and 'No, Madam'. ambush of police or soldiers by Sinn Fein pretended to have undergone a "gates of Well, we're no bunch of down-trodden rebels, she hurried off to warn the nearest Damascus" Pauline conversion, with the tame Catholics'…" (pp300 and 308-9). police station. Finding out what this grand 24 old lady had done, the rebels caught her young people (egged on by their curates!) saw it as an unqualified National and shot her as an informer. They might ran it and actually, in many cases locked Revolution by the peasant proprietors have respected her age and kept her as a the old people into their homes so that themselves against British rule and the prisoner, but they said they had no prisons. they might not be able to attend the Redmondite Party that had been com- There can be no half measures in rebellion, booths.' (EH Ussher, 'True Story', which can only be justified by success. Representative Church Body Library promised by Britain's Imperialist War. The usual result of rebellion is either (Church of Ireland). See also Irish Times, That Irish Times opinion piece had opened complete victory or a string of dead bodies 19 December 1918.) However, exagger- with the sentence: hanging from the lamp-posts…" (My ated, such claims reflected a widely shared "Count Plunkett won North Ros- emphasis—MO'R). perception of Sinn Féin—and especially common on the anti-conscription cry and "In this case the British Government the Volunteers—as a youth movement, the appeal to the people's sentiments in was entirely to blame for Mrs Lindsay's and an almost equally shared apprehen- connection with the rebellion of Easter death. Demanding and expecting loyalty sion of what this meant" (p166). Week." (My emphasis.) from her, she was shamefully abandoned. And it ended with a set of conclusions Loyalty begets loyalty, lack of honour Hart did nothing to modify anything designed to disabuse its Loyalist readership and protection begets disloyalty; but who quoted above that might possibly have understands 'loyalty'? Between the of any illusions about what direction the been "exaggerated", not to mind present gunmen of England and the gunmen of march of Irish democracy was taking: Ireland the 'loyalists' fell and suffered. It the evidence that directly contradicted the profoundly prejudiced panorama which "The result of the election is a portent. was foolish for 'loyalists' to 'talk' in It means that, if Mr. Redmond's party Ireland in 1920 and 1921. It was madness he so colourfully presented. Another join the Liberal soreheads by forcing a to 'inform' …" (pp52-53. my emphases— example of Hart's deep-seated dishonesty. General Election, they will be swept out MO'R). One talent that Hart undoubtedly had was of three-fourths of their seats in rural to grub through the details of press reports Ireland by the same forces that carried Hart and Crozier can also be compared in order to come up with juicy quotations Count Plunkett to victory in a place like in terms of their treatment of the issue of to bolster up his own prejudiced 'thesis'. It North Roscommon, believed to be so self-determination. Hart's only 'assess- is therefore inconceivable that, in coming peaceful and so free from Sinn Fein and the rebellion taint." (My emphasis.) ment' of the significance of Sinn Féin's across the above quotations from Irish overwhelming 26 County victory in the Times election coverage, he failed to read And what of Crozier? He was a military December 1918 General Election was his that paper's actual analysis. The Irish regurgitation of police reports and Loyalist man who neither cited the 1918 General Times could not have survived as a mere Election results nor used the term "self- cum Irish Times prejudices in his "Youth expression of crude prejudice, pure and and Rebellion" chapter: determination". But he made clear that it simple. Being the self-styled 'paper of was an Irish majority he'd been sent to "Many—policemen and others— record', it was also expected to provide suppress, and the term he used was "self- thought this rebellion of 'mere boys' was some thoughtful analysis. Hart's very assertion". Of the two grandfathers to directed as much against parents and determined decision to suppress that Irish whom he had dedicated his 1931 book, A elders as against British rule. This idea Times analysis, lest it disturb the thrust of first became a common theme of police Word To Gandhi: The Lesson of Ireland, his story-telling, was the action of an and press reports during the by-election he wrote of one, Major W.F. Percy: campaigns of 1917, beginning with North academic liar. In a profoundly enlightening "My grandfather, a retired Army officer Roscommon in February. Dubbed a opinion piece, entitled "How Count and a resident magistrate in Ireland for 'women and childrens' election', Count Plunkett Won North Roscommon The Inner years, said of Dublin Castle, the seat of Plunkett's victory as an abstentionist Story Of The Contest (By One Who Was Irish misgovernment and immorality, so candidate was widely attributed to the Through It)", the Irish Times reported on far back as 1884, 'This place must be activities of those too young to vote… 8th February 1917: blown up some day. It is the only way; it's Roscommon also produced the first too vile!' …" (pp86-7). stories that 'young members of the farm- "The significance of the contest is to be ers' families used stringent intimidation found in the light which it throws on the The declared purpose of the book was on their elders'. The generational divide mind of rural Ireland at the moment. Here to appeal to British public opinion to learn is a constituency where three-fourths of had apparently widened even further by the lessons of Ireland and not repeat the May, when the next contest was held in the electorate are peasant proprietors South Longford. One local newspaper under the various Land Purchase Acts. same misjudgements in India with even warned Irish Party voters beforehand that They were never getting better prices for more devastating consequences: 'some of the young members of your their produce, and they were never better "The lesson to be deduced for India is household may put obstacles in your way' off. The Post Office Savings Bank depos- that Englishmen, Scotsmen and Welsh- (quoted in Irish Times, 7 May 1917), its and the local banks are eloquent proof men must insist that the Lloyd George while the Irish Times (8 May 1917) of this. Yet 3,023 of these men record folly in Ireland, the Churchill folly about reported that: 'the enthusiasm of the young their votes for the candidate recom- Natal and Ireland … and the Coalition element has reached such a point as to mended to them because he was the father folly in Westminster in 1920-21, is not cause family friction in many households. of one of the leaders executed in Easter repeated in 1931-32 in India, Delhi and Some refused to help their fathers on the Week." Westminster" (p76). land unless they exacted a promise to "Mr Winston Churchill, who as a support Mr McGuinness (the Sinn Féin The Irish Times report did indeed member of the Government once did candidate), while daughters declined to emphasise the role of young Republican much to bring about and prolong the pursue their domestic duties without activists during that Roscommon election trouble in Ireland and then rectified his laying similar toll.' These reports of the campaign. But its analysis had nothing in mistakes, is now making more mischief intimidation of fathers by their children common with Hart's crude caricature of it in India" (p85). continued unabated through to the general as some sort of Maoist-style Cultural "The Lloyd George-Winston Churchill election of December 1918. As for the mentality in Ireland in 1920-21 was bad latter event (when, for the first time, Revolution undertaken by landless Red enough. Winston Churchill in India would 'boys' could vote alongside their parents), Guard youth against their peasant prop- be even worse" (p67). one breathless account had it that: 'the rietor fathers. The Irish Times correctly "The most crying need to-day is for 25 men who think as Mr Churchill does acknowledging IRA ambushes as military considerable destruction of property. The about India to be kept out of Parliament action), but—unlike Hart—he did at least murder of McCurtain by the police was and public life" (p36). recognise it as a War of Independence, responsible for the murder or death of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of other backed by the will of the majority of the people, for the gradual extermination of Notwithstanding his unrealistic faith in Irish people: the Treaty as a final settlement, Crozier's each policeman murderer caused a huge "Michael Collins … succeeded reprisal, and so on" (pp21-2). introduction undoubtedly packed a punch: because, although (he) stooped to un- diluted murder, they (Sinn Fein) admitted "The 'trouble' in Ireland—brought to a This was a British war against the conclusion in 1921 by a belated agreement the offence as the only possible way out, with England after years of strife—and while the British Government, employing majority of the Irish people, as Crozier the 'trouble' in India—not yet terminated the same means as its adversary, not only concluded (my emphasis): —possess a common factor. Both denied its use but endeavoured to saddle "In the martial law area in Munster, 'troubles' arose from a mistaken view on Sinn Fein with the atrocities committed warning proclamations were issued by the part of the English of what is really by its agents! … Ireland denied none of the competent military authority … true 'Patriotism'. What most of us—I am the murders committed her men, but still setting forth the penalties for 'harbouring' not among them—consider 'Patriotism' objects strongly to being saddled with rebels, 'carrying arms' or 'assisting the to be, is far from what 'Patriotism' really the murders of such well-known Irishmen enemy'. These repressive measures were is. This mistaken notion has caused as McCurtain (Lord Mayor of Cork), penalties for acts of rebellion. The fact rebellions, revolutions, wars, massacres, O'Callaghan (Mayor of Limerick), the was lost sight of by the military that the slavery and misery, and incidentally, the ex-Mayor of Limerick and Father innocent suffered and the majority of the so-called 'Irish Problem', 'Indian Problem, Griffin…" (pp20-1). population of Munster was in revolt … and long ago, 'the Problem' which lost 'Harbouring' was thus universal … After England her North American colonies … Crozier noted how elected represent- an ambush in the martial law area, the 'Patriotism', derived from patria, country, atives had been particularly targeted: competent military authority invariably and in its turn from pater, father, is burnt the cottage or cottages of peasants supposed to denote 'Love of Country'. "During the 'Terror' in Ireland, while nearest to the scene of the disaster, despite Left alone it no doubt does, but alas, it has Irishmen were at the mercy of the 'Black- the fact that the occupants might have not been left alone, as to it has been added and-Tans', and the 'Black-and-Tans' were known nothing whatsoever about it … a vastly different ingredient, 'Loyalty'. being murdered by Irishmen, and martial But the trouble did not end there. After 'Loyalty' to what?… 'My country, right law was in force in Munster, the Mayor the burning of a cottage worth, say, £500, or wrong'… Very nice, no doubt, but and ex-Mayor of Limerick were murdered the local Sinn Fein rebels invariably took entirely immoral, for no 'Government' in their houses, in front of their wives, at up the matter and arranged their own can be always right and no 'wrong' can be night, during curfew hours, by policemen reprisal! As the rebellion had degenerated ever right… The truth is, as Washington disguised as Sinn Feiners" (p81). into a clash between upper-class misrule and Collins found out, as Gandhi is finding "The Lord Mayor of Cork and other and the lower-class population, it was out, by guile of Governments, 'Patriotism' public men were murdered by the British obvious that the Sinn Fein bonfires would (cum 'Loyalty') has become a world Government's police in order that the not be kindled in the home of a mere religion in which flags, statues, war troph- world should be made to believe that worker, but would be set going in the ies, unknown warriors, war memorials, Sinn Fein was divided—which was far £10,000 mansion of a landlord, which is shrines, tombs, cenotaphs, anniversaries from being the case—the wicked and exactly what happened! If the truce had of victories and 'great days', graves, war intensely stupid deeds being publicly not become operative in the summer of gratuities, promotion, profiteering and credited in the Press to the Irish People… 1921, the ever-increasing vicious circle the two minutes' silence are worshipped The victim of the RIC gunmen's bullets would have gone on expanding in- and bowed down to as were the golden was Lord Mayor McCurtain, a prominent definitely. The burning of the £10,000 images by idolators of old. In the face of Sinn Fein volunteer, a Republican and a mansions and the refusal of insurance this false worship, nothing matters! Member of the Imperial Parliament, who companies to pay, had a great deal to do Wrong is Right!" (pp11-14). never took his seat at Westminster. This with the advent of peace in Ireland!" man was done to death in his house, in the (pp73-4). presence of his wife, by a party of police- Poppycock is not without an antidote! men disguised as 'Shinners', in the dead Crozier went on to begin his first chapter For anyone who has had the stomach to of night… A coroner's jury brought in a read—or re-read—Peter Hart, a sub- thus: verdict of wilful murder against the auth- "There is some similarity between the orities. Of course the men who made up sequent reading of F.P. Crozier, for all his struggles of Ireland and India for self- this murder party were transferred sins, certainly comes as a welcome breath expression. Both countries were in turn separately to different and far-away parts of fresh air! occupied by England for gain. Both of Ireland… When the English people Manus O'Riordan became 'planted'. Both became became shocked from time to time at permanently entwined in the mesh of news of the murder of a presumably General F.P. Crozier: The Men I Killed English economics and finance… The harmless Irish policeman walking on his (1937), denial of self-expression in the constitu- country beat far removed from strife, Irish Memoirs and other writings. tional manner by England led both they naturally did not understand. Why Introduction by Brendan Clifford. 152 pp. countries into the paths of resistance, should they? How were they to know Index. ISBN 0 85034 085 3. AB, 2002. Ireland eventually finding her soul at the they were merely reading of the gradual ¤10, £7.50 . pistol's mouth … The pistol's mouth in extermination of the Cork police murd- Ireland in 1920 and 21 (resorted to because erers? Every one of the murderers or constitutional methods had failed for forty accessories to the murder was eventually You can buy subsciptions, books and years) spelt unrestricted red blood on accounted for, including a senior officer, pamphlets online and pay by credit/ both sides" (pp17-18). who, having been hidden in the Isle of debit card from: Man for some months, was murdered Crozier, the British Army Brigadier- shortly after his return to duty in another General, did indeed describe assassin- part of Ireland, on his way from church. https://www.atholbooks- ations carried out as part of Ireland's War The murder of this officer, in a Protestant sales.org of Independence as "murder" (while fully quarter, caused more loss of life and 26 ITEMS FROM ‘THE IRISH BULLETIN’ – 7

The “Irish Bulletin” (7th July 1919 – 11th Dec.1921) was the official organ of Dáil Eireann during the 1919 – 1921 period. Lawrence Ginnell, then Director of Publicity for the Dáil, first started it in mid 1919 as a “summary of acts of aggression” committed by the forces of the Crown. This newssheet came out fortnightly, later, weekly. We reprint below the summaries published for January 1920

Date:- Dec. 29th.30th.31st. Jan.1st.2 nd.3rd. Total.

Raids:- 1 25 2 - 1 5 34. Arrests:- 3 5 2 - 3 - 13. Sentences:- - - 1 6 1 1 9. Proclamations & Suppressions: - - - - 1 4 5. Armed Assaults: 1 - - 1 1 - 3. Courtmartials:- 1 - - - - - 1. Murder:- 1 - - - - - 1.

Daily Total:- 7 30 5 7 6 10 66. Date:- 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th Total.

Raids:- 25 4 155 3 52 31 270. Arrests:- - - 6 6 1 1 14. Sentences:- - 2 1 4 - - 7. Deportations:- - - 4 - - - 4. Armed Assaults:- 2 1 - - - - 3. Daily Total:- 27 7 166 13 53 32 298.

Date:- 12th. 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th Total.

Raids:- 52 65 10 15 - 55 197. Arrests:- 1 14 2 11 31 4 63. Sentences:- - - 1 - - - 1. Armed Assaults:- 1 1 - - 1 - 3. DAILY TOTAL:- 54 80 13 26 32 59 264.

Date:- ? 20th 21st 22nd 23rd 24th Total.

Raids:- 1 100 151 26 2 1 281. Arrests:- 4 7 7 16 - 1 35. Sentences:- 1 2 - 11 - 1 15. Suppressions:- 1 1 1 1 1 - 5. Armed Assaults:- 1 - 1 1 1 - 4. Courtmartials: - - - - 1 - 1. Deportations:- - - - - 1 - 1.

Daily Totals:- 8 110 160 55 6 3 342.

Date:- 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st Total

Raids:- 104 70 - 10 - 12 196. Arrests:- 5 8 3 18 - 6 40. Sentences:- - - 1 - 7 - 8. Courtmartials: - 2 - - - - 2. Suppressions:- 2 - - - - - 2. Murder:- - 1 - - - - 1.

Daily Total:- 111 81 4 28 7 18 249.

27 default swaps, securitisation, derivatives, anywhere from €30,000 per job for CFDs and all the rest of the burglary tools retailing jobs up to €750,000 or more per Does been made illegal? No, they have not. job for high-tech manufacturing jobs and It Why not? if a company is successful, as reflected in Stack Because the lawmakers are still control- more profits, there will be more jobs. Up led by the crooks—there is no other explan- Personal taxation on the incomes of ? ation. Inside Job will, hopefully, open shareholders, managers, and workers people's eyes to how we've all being done should be enough to provide for State INSIDE JOB now and well into the future. The so- expenditure on security infrastructure, The documentary film by Charles Ferg- called Troika—the IMF, ECB, and EU— education, health etc etc. So there is a uson, Inside Job made by Sony Pictures are the police acting for the super-rich and good case for a NIL corporation tax rate. (USA) and screened on Channel Four just for their Private Banks. They are our To a business manager what matters is before Christmas, goes a long way to enemies but you can observe the Stock- not so much the rate (the nominal rate of explaining how and why the Recession holm Syndrome being catered for by the 12.5% for example) as the effective rate. happened. He ruthlessly interviews the top various media. We cannot stand being This is because in all countries the taxable culprits who are named and shamed out of civil to those we know to be our enemies profits are a very different amount to the their own mouths, assisted by some tight and so the media puts out jokes and jests actual profits calculated according to the editing. But there was no need to add any- about them and so we laugh in our own normal accounting rules. In turn, this is thing. These US bankers, regulators, acad- misfortune. because the Tax Acts specify in accordance emic economists and the rating agencies Inside Job itself—although it attacked with public policy that certain allowances seemed to be only too eager at first to boast bankers, credit ratings agencies and regulators or disallowances will be made as adjust- of what they had done. Until, in interview —dealt only with the USA. Of course the ments to the actual accounting profits after interview, each of them began to real- rot started there and was worse there than before arriving at what is called the taxable ise the approach of the pit they were digging elsewhere but why did it not deal with the profits and it is this latter figure of taxable for themselves and for their organisations UK? Why indeed! And why did it not deal profits to which the nominal tax rate is —and their faces and their body language with the Big accounting firms to which a applied to find the tax payable. The tax expressively told the rest of their sad story. huge amount of the blame should be attrib- payable as a percentage of the accounting Or rather our sad story, because it bec- uted? The Balance Sheets of the banks profits gives the "effective rate" of tax. ame clear that the Baddies were winning were supposed to be audited by these Every good business manager will calcul- here and we were on the losing side and firms and the firms certainly charged huge ate and compare the "effective rate" on the will be for some time to come. What you money for their auditing, but they did not company profits in various countries so as are looking at in Inside Job is the greatest blow a whistle even though it was patently to monitor which country is most advantag- all-time raid on US and on world-wide obvious what was happening on the faces eous for the company to be headquartered society. The money did not go away, it of the Balance Sheets. So Inside Job has in. Germany for example has a large may have been lost by us and by our censored itself but, keeping this in mind, manufacturing sector for which there are society but it was stolen by these crooks it is still worth viewing. huge tax allowances and thus a low effect- and hoodlums and they have it and their A note in G2 of the Guardian newspaper, ive rate. Ireland has not got a huge manu- families will have it for many generations 18th February 2011 said Inside Job was facturing sector and therefore would not to come. Broadly speaking, the 1873 Great released on that day and so it should be have the huge allowances and so its effect- Depression pauperised the middle income available. But you may have to persist in ive rate is higher. It is not a simple matter group and pauperised the already your pursuit of it. Senior Freemasons get to compare nominal rates of tax from one impoverished poor. Then the 1929 Wall angry at the mention of it and mutter about country to another. Street Crash again took from the poor and "conspiracy theories" and suchlike. To from the middle-income people whatever readers of the Irish Political Review all of FEE-PAYING AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS savings they had accumulated. But this the foregoing will be interesting but it is a The Teacher's Union of Ireland and present Recession has not only plundered great pity indeed that our politicians and some of the grassroots section of the whatever wealth and savings we may have regulators did not read John Martin's article Labour Party are pushing very strongly had but the future generations have been in the June 2000 issue of the Irish Political for the fee-paying schools to receive less plundered by the way credit—bank credit, Review. This article said it all under the support from the tax-payers. Last year, the and State credit, and credit card credit— heading of Ireland: A Nation Running On Union's President Bernie Ruane asked the was taken and sequestered to themselves Credit? And that was back in 2000. Eight Minister of Education, Ruairí Quinn to by these crooks. They are the super-rich years before the bubble burst. cut state support completely, which the because they bribed and corrupted their Minister wisely refused to do. Because: way into super-wealth and there is no CORPORATION TAX the children would still need to be taught indication whatsoever that they will stop The 12.5% rate of Corporation Tax is in schools, would still need teachers to be bribing and corrupting. very defensible indeed. It is a major reason paid. And the fees presently being paid by Look at what is happening. Effectively, for US, German, Chinese and other foreign the parents are so high that any increase in nothing is happening. The lid is being kept -owned companies to be employers of fees would be unbearable, with the likely on. Some steam is escaping or being let off large numbers of people in Ireland. It is result that children or even whole schools but essentially nothing is being allowed to not so high as to drive employers out of would go into the public non-fee-paying happen to endanger the wealth of the Ireland and it is not so low as to excite too school system. If that were to happen the super-rich. Has the Glass-Seagall Act been much jealousy abroad. There is a good cost to the ordinary tax-payer would be a re-enacted in the USA? Has it ……. ? case to be made for a Nil Tax rate on lot higher. Schools in the public system do Have obviously crooked things like short- limited liability companies which are not receive fees from parents. They do get selling been firmly outlawed? Have credit employers. It costs capital to create jobs— capitation grants from the tax-payers and 28 GUILDS continued price-conditions by State municipality or "The attempt to preserve a rough equal- guild was scoffed at as antiquated, stupid, ity among 'the good men of the mistery', cumbrous and contrary to the natural laws to check economic egotism by insisting also unknown to the guild system—whose of liberty and progress. that every brother shall share his good contribution to production consisted of fortune with another and stand by his money, enterprise and commercial ability neighbour in need, to resist the encroach- Hence, one of the principal acts of the but not of craft knowledge or skill. The ments of a conscienceless money power, French Revolution was to abolish the structure of the guilds was too rigid, con- to preserve professional standards of guilds by the loi Chapelier of 1791. It was training and craftsmanship, and to repress servative and localised to be capable of believed that freedom demanded the by a strict corporate discipline the natural rapid adjustment to these new conditions. absence of any intervening body between appetite of each to snatch special advan- Under the pressure of economic events it the individual citizen and the all-powerful tages for himself to the injury of all— began to give way. whether these things outweigh the evils State. In Great Britain and Ireland the of conservative methods and corporate guilds perished by inanition; their legal Another powerful cause operating exclusiveness is a question which each powers were abolished by the Corporation against the guilds was the dominance of student will answer in accordance with Acts of 1835 and 1840, but long before his own predilections" (Tawney, ibid, the economic theory of mercantilism dur- that date they had ceased to exercise any p27-8). ing the seventeenth and eighteenth centur- control of industry or trade and performed ies. According to this the prosperity of a only the function of friendly societies or people was not to be judged by the prosper- satisfied the demand for historical pageant- The right of workers and employers to ity of agriculture, the balance of agriculture ry in civic affairs. associate; the principle of the regulation with industry, the stability of prices and of prices and conditions by a domestic general content. It was to be judged by In other European countries where authority subject to municipal and State foreign trade, because only by foreign economic liberalism made slower progress control; the principle that the local or trade could a nation acquire a store of the guilds showed great tenacity and in central authorities should regulate industry gold, and without gold wars could not be Germany they continued to protect craft- and trade for the common good; the prin- fought. This doctrine set a premium on workers, and had nearly a million members ciple that master and craftsman each has a colonies, wars of expansion, exploiting in the year 1931. right to the necessaries befitting his station companies and foreign trade. Hence any in life; these are not false or vicious prin- ******************************************************************************** influence that restricted the volume of ciples. The downfall of the guilds was due Mr. Toulmin Smith, who looks with trade and production was regarded as partly to the fact that they were not able to indulgence on the dissolution of the harmful to national prosperity. preserve these principles sufficiently in a monasteries, is indignant at the spoliation But the most powerful influence oper- time of transition and industrial revolution of these lay institutions: "a case of pure ating against the guilds was the spirit of but mainly to the fact that these principles wholesale robbery and plunder; . . . . no intense individualism and optimism which had been temporarily overshadowed in page so black in English history" (Toulmin swept the eighteenth century. There was a the public mind by contrary ideas and Smith, Editor, English Gilds, 1870, Preface widespread demand that individuals and ambitions which glorified individual by Dr. Luis Brentano, p.xlii). society should be freed from every restrict- freedom, expansion of trade and colonial ion and allowed the fullest freedom; there ******************************************************************************** exploitation, and took too optimistic a was further an absolute belief that by view of the consequences of freedom of natural law this freedom would produce The downfall of the guilds was not due contract. peace, progress and unlimited prosperity to the fact that they were based on false or for everyone. The system of regulation of vicious principles. (To be continued next issue )

their teachers are paid by the tax-payers ing about this list was that non-Catholic NEEDS SECTIONED? also. So in reality what the fee-paying schools were way out ahead when it came schools do is to take over 120 million euros to drawing down Capital Grants. Way out Kim Jong-il dies, the media sickens per year from parents who are already also ahead as a group. The highest was in competition to be of mean spirit, contributing as tax-payers to the public Drogheda Grammar at €1,481,493, then the rhetoric of a cold war they inherit, school system. They are paying twice Dundalk Grammar at €1,160,821 and causing their intelligence to thicken. over. Who are we to stop them? Certainly, Middleton College at €1,097,582. Six Liberal values makes Korea conform the children attending fee-paying schools non-Catholic schools got €8,259,766— without bombing, assassination drones, are privileged but would it not be better to an average of €1,037,353 each, whereas sabotage incursions and no-fly-zones? aim for all children to be privileged rather the other 48 schools got a total of €8,259, The free-world-press descends as a snowstorm. than attempting to pull down those who 766—an average of €172,078 each. So, Cry democracy, those tears from war-cries are privileged now? what is going on? The difference is glar- can burn away the heart of a nation. ing. €1,037,353 as against €172,078! It A million-army, a nuclear bomb denies ULTRA-PRIVILEGED SCHOOLS does not seem to Stack up! But perhaps rape and mindless, murderous laceration. On 3rd January 2012, a very interesting there is some Departmental wisdom behind The sit in suits, bourgeois language disguises list was shown on The Irish Times. It the figures? It just doesn't stack up and the gangster soul that craves defenestration. showed fifty-four names of fee-paying maybe the Teacher's Union of Ireland schools and the Capital Funding provided (TUI) would look into it? Wilson John Haire in the years 2007-2011. What was interest- Michael Stack. © 5th January, 2012 29 GUILDS continued fifteenth century, industry was on a very The decay of the guilds was due to limited scale and generally conducted in many causes and was a long process vary- the master's home where master, journey- and apply justice in social and economic ing as to duration and intensity in different man and apprentice lived in personal con- countries. Although there were complaints affairs. Medieval society was impregnated tact. There was generally no great disparity with the belief that ethical and moral values and abuses even before the fifteenth between masters in the size of their estab- century the guilds continued to exist for dominated economic activity. The notion lishments, number of workers or store of of the community as an organic body, in many centuries and to fulfil at least some materials. Hence the craft guild, while useful functions. As we know from modern which different classes perform different giving a dominant position to masters, functions, was generally accepted. The experience, the existence of complaints is secured the interests of all members of the not proof that an institution is moribund or principle that each man was entitled to the craft. necessaries benefitting his station in life entirely useless. After the fifteenth century ******************************************************************************** was regarded as self-evident and what there was a great growth in trade and "This sort of aggressive conformity is each station required depended on its manufacture and a more intense applic- critical to how events unfold in the next function or contribution to the common ation of finance to industry. Workshops few months. The German people value good. "Medieval society was based on became larger and masters now sought their local towns, worry about their neigh- inequality between classes and equality power to employ more journeymen. Some bours' views, relish the rules and are within classes." The system secured peace, masters were able to employ large capital rewarded accordingly by a social and stability and justice; these were the things in acquiring stocks; the moral objections economic system that really does work. that the Middle Ages wanted most. It did to usury were being disregarded in prac- "A traditional explanation, with oddly not open up the prospect of unlimited tice; in manufacture itself functions were persistent roots, was that the success was profit and unlimited gain, but then people becoming more complicated and special- to do with the flourishing of a Protestant in the Middle Ages did not think it any ized. Guilds began to divide into sections work ethic—but today some of the most advantage to a community to enable a few for specialized crafts and some of these productive areas of Germany, particularly citizens to become millionaires. crafts dominated the others by determining the overwhelmingly prosperous Baden and prices of materials or conditions of work. Bavaria, are Catholic. And the most miser- The regulations of the craft guilds A new class of wealthy master began to able bits of the country happen to be sought to eliminate unfair competition appear who, in co-operation with the weal- Protestant" (Simon Winder, Sunday and sharp practices in order that each thy merchant, sought opportunities for Telegraph, 20.11.2011). craftsman could secure by his industry a bigger production and release from the ******************************************************************************** decent standard of living for himself and restrictions of the guilds. In many cases his dependents. They regulated prices, It is well to guard against exaggeration this class gained control of the guilds, conditions of work and apprenticeship in as to the extent of guild organization in the made them close{d} family corporations order to safeguard the craftsman; but they Middle Ages. and used them for narrow, selfish interests. also fixed standards of materials, work- "To suggest that anything like a major- The journeymen reacted by trying to make manship and finished product in order to ity of medieval workers were ever mem- their own defences tighter. So we find safeguard the consumer. The fixation of a bers of a craft guild is extravagant. In many denunciations of the guild system just price was not then regarded as im- England, at any rate, more than nine- for being exclusive, creating undue privi- tenths were peasants, among whom, possible; on the contrary, it was consider- lege and monopoly and acting in restraint though friendly societies called guilds of trade. ed an elementary need of ordered life and were common, there was naturally no social organization. In order that the guilds question of craft organization. Even in could successfully enforce their regula- the towns it is a question whether there The monopoly, which formerly was tions two conditions had to be fulfilled: was not a considerable population of exercised with due regard to the interest of first, that all men who carried on the trade casual workers—consider only the num- the community in a just price and good in the town should be members, and, ber of unskilled workers that must have quality, came to be exercised in a more been required as labourers by the secondly, that the town authorities should selfish manner, with more regard to the craftsmen building a cathedral in the days interests of the individual and of the craft recognize the guild as the competent before mechanical cranes—who were authority to deal with these matters. The rarely organized in permanent societies. than of other crafts and the common good. history of the guilds up to the fourteenth To invest the craft guilds with a halo of With the progress of time the inability of century shows how this position was economic chivalry is not less inapprop- the guild system to cope with the new gradually attained. riate. They were, first and foremost, circumstances in industry and commerce monopolists, and the cases in which their became apparent. Improvement in vested interests came into collision with In addition to trade regulation in the transport and commerce bought with it the consumer were not a few" (Tawney, competition on a national scale, difficulties interest of justice to craftsmen and com- ibid, p26). munity, the guild also performed many of "There are, however, monopolists and in controlling quality, prices and condi- the functions now performed by friendly monopolists. An age in which combin- tions of work and the rise of commercial societies and the State. It looked after the ations are not tempted to pay lip-service middlemen. As towns grew, they attracted member in sickness and old age; it provided to religion may do well to remember that large numbers of untrained workers who for his dependents after his death; it also the characteristic, after all, of the medieval remained outside the skilled crafts and guild was that, if it sprang from economic operated a system of insurance. Its appren- were not absorbed by the guilds. The needs, it claimed at least to subordinate growth of capital and the development of ticeship system secured proper technical them to social interests, as conceived by training for the learner and a steady supply men for whom the social and the spiritual the factory system based on machinery of competent workmen for the trade. were inextricably intertwined" (Tawney, and power introduced the entrepreneur— ibid, p27). In the period from the tenth to the continued on page 29 30 with a quotation from the New Statesman. function, prayer, or defence, or merchand- GUILDS continued ******************************************************************************** ise or tilling the soil. Each must receive "Prior to the eighteenth century it is not the means suited to its station, and must medieval period. Merchant guilds, too much to say that the framework of claim no more. Within classes there must associations of international traders, were society in all civilized countries—with be equality; if one takes into his hand the powerful in the 12th and 13th centuries. the possible exception of the pioneers of living of two, his neighbour will go short. They lost ascendancy with the rise of the the new world of the United States—was Between classes there must be inequality; craft guilds, associations of master crafts- essentially vocational. We need not refer for otherwise a class cannot perform its men, journeymen, apprentices, and the to the widespread social organization function, or—a strange thought to us— various traders connected with a particular represented by the castes of India or the enjoy its rights. Peasants must not craft. Some craft guilds secured royal guilds of China. In Europe, during the encroach on those above them. Lords charters of incorporation, as did the livery whole, of the Middle Ages, and even must not despoil peasants. Craftsmen companies of the city of London, the throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth and merchants must receive what will most famous survivors in England of the centuries, we find it taken for granted that maintain them in their calling and no medieval craft guilds" (Encyclopaedia the King governed through vocational more" (Tawney, ibid., p22). Britannica, 1978). associations, whether the Church and the ******************************************************************************** Army, the Universities and the Colleges The guilds came into existence under of law and medicine, or the agricultural the influence of strong religious and The Commission held its first meeting Manor and the Municipal Craft Guild" charitable motives which stressed the on 2nd March, 1939, at which the Taoi- (The New Statesman, London, April 21, elements of brotherhood, religious duty seach, Mr. de Valera, attended and 1917) and mutual assistance. From the fraternity explained in some detail the task which concerned with religious worship to the the Government was entrusting to the This statement of authorities who can- guild which looked after social and Commission. He described vocational not be charged with partiality to guilds economic interests was an easy step, and organization as an organization of society represents the accepted verdict of history. the people of the early Middle Ages were "in which people who are engaged in In the long period from the eighth to the forced to take it by the imperative need for similar callings or professions naturally eighteenth century it was taken for granted protection and justice. The feudal state gravitate together to promote the interests in all parts of civilized Europe that the was weak and ill-organized; it gave the of those professions or callings". most natural and useful form of human association was according to a man's pro- people of the towns little or no protection of liberty, property and trade against the The phrase had been used in English fession, trade or craft; such associations violence of neighbouring nobles, the since 1917 at least, when Sidney and proved themselves a solid basis from which arbitrary exactions of feudal lords or the Beatrice Webb published a study of municipal and political institutions grew. bold onset of robbers. Thus there grew up vocational organization in Great Britain The spirit of the age which produced Town, Frith, Merchant, Craft and Journey- in which the following passage occurs:— the guilds is of some importance. A modern men guilds to unite and protect residents "But there is another form of association commentator on the period writes of this of a town and the members of a trade or open to the producers, which is very spirit: widespread and which has, during the "It is to be found in the insistence of craft. past generation, been steadily increasing medieval thinkers that society is a spiritual in its range, namely, that of the union of organism, not an economic machine, and The growth of the guilds was not without those concerned in any industry or service, that economic activity, which is one sub- opposition. It is interesting to note that not in little groups to manage particular ordinate element within a vast and even in the ninth century many regarded enterprises, but in an association which complex unity, requires to be controlled the development of such organizations aims at being co-extensive with their and repressed by reference to the moral with disfavour as weakening central auth- craft or occupation. This idea of Voca- ends for which it supplies the material tional Organization, basing itself on the means." (R.H. Tawney, Religion and the ority. The Emperor Charlemagne issued a steady increase of Professional Assoc- Rise of Capitalism, p61 (Murray, London, series of capitularies in order to suppress iations among brainworkers on the one 1936). Cf also Preliminary Essay on and annihilate them. But the movement hand, and of Trade Unions among the Gilds, by Lujo Brentano (English Gilds, endured and branched out, and if a section manual workers on the other, has latterly Toulmin Smith); European Civilization, of the population felt itself oppressed or become the centre of the intellectual react- Its Origins and Development, edited by aggrieved, as at an early period the crafts- ion that we have described against the Edward Eyre, Vols, III and V.) dominance of the Association of Con- men felt towards the merchants, its remedy was to form a guild of its own. sumers" (The New Statesman, April 21st, The same writer explains the structure 1917). of medieval society. This system of vocational organization The phrase 'vocational organization' "The facts of class status and inequality proved itself to have extraordinary vitality passed into general usage in this country, were rationalized in the Middle Ages by and endurance. It lasted for nearly a thous- however, mainly as a result of the strong a functional theory of society, as the facts and years—which is a very long period in commendation of vocational organization of competition were rationalized in the the history of civilized Europe. Its endur- contained in the Encyclical Quadragesimo eighteenth {century} by the theory of economic harmonies; and the former took ance can be understood only when one Anno (1931) of Pope Pius XI on the understands the principles on which it was "Reconstruction of the Social Order." the same delight in contemplating the moral purpose revealed in 'social organi- based. Originally it arose from the general ******************************************************************************** zation as the latter in proving that to the desire for internal peace and justice as Below we reproduce an extract from the curious mechanism of human society a well as security from external danger. The 1943 Report presented by the Commission on moral purpose was superfluous or dis- guilds definitely set out to maintain justice Vocational Organization on "The History of turbing. Society, like the human body, is as between members and were quite Vocational Organization—The Eighth to the an organism composed of different Eighteenth Century—The Guilds". It starts members. Each member has its own convinced that it was possible to define continued on page 30

31 VOLUME 30 No. 2 ISSN 0790-1712

MONDRAGON, Part 4

"The awfulness of all this can be best appreciated by comparison with the continental development of the working class which was centred on the evolution of the Medieval Guilds. The development of a working class in this way was not a negative reactive one. It was always a positive engagement with the functioning of society as a whole and the advance of one was inseparable and incomprehensible from that of the other. They were an organic part of society that was given mystical expression via Corpus Christi. "In short it was the difference between a civilized development of society and the barbarism of class war. (Jack Lane-Labour and Trade Union Review-November, 2011). The Guilds and Capitalism

In 1939, the Fianna Fail Government chairman. 'There was nothing like a group In his Foreword, the Chairman stated led by Eamon de Valera set up the Commis- of self-declared experts getting on with that: "The Report is a serious effort to sion on Vocational Organization to report the job of proposing solutions', comment- show how abstract principles can be ed {Sean} MacEntee many years later. on the practicability of developing voca- applied to the concrete realities of our That was one way to deal with a difficult tional organization in Ireland; the means and persistent lobby" (Dermot Keogh, complex social and economic life." of achieving this; the rights and powers Professor of History, University College, that should be conferred on vocational Cork, New Gill History of Ireland, Seventy years later, it is not difficult to bodies; and the relationship between voca- Twentieth Century Ireland, Gill & be casual and disparaging about the aims tional bodies and the Government and Macmillan, 2005). of the Commission but in 1943, the fate of Legislature. Irish interest in vocational civilization was being fought out between organization was a response to the The Commission Report is a remarkable Capitalism, Communism and Fascism and publication in 1931 of the Papal Encyclical document made up of 500 pages. Chairman the Irish state itself had suffered a civil Quadragesimo Anno, which discussed the of the Commission was the Bishop of war at its foundation 20 years previously. "Reconstruction of the Social Order". Galway, Michael Browne, and 24 other Mary E. Daly, Associate Professor of members, including Trade Unionists, The core emphasis in this article is on History in University College Dublin, James Larkin, Snr., Miss Louie Bennett, the Guilds and their contribution to the wrote in The Oxford Companion To Irish Senator Sean Campbell, Senator Thomas rise of the Trade Union movement. As the History (1998): Foran and Luke J. Duffy. Professors Alfred tidal wave of Finance Capital sweeps O'Rahilly and Michael Tierney and several "It was also in part a reaction against across the world, imposing uninhibited the substantial increase in the intervention members of the Protestant faiths also Free Trade and the concerted destruction by government in the economy since the served on the Commission. of Workers' Rights: it is imperative that Fianna Fail government had come to the Labour movement begins to reassert power in 1932. Support for the concept Subscribers to the magazine are regularly offered special rates on other publications the ethical and moral obligations of this was much stronger within Fine Gael, the economic activity. The Commission article main opposition party, than in govern- Irish Political Review is published by printed below gives a lucid and definitive ment ranks. The commission recommend- the IPR Group: write to— ed the establishment of a national voca- role played by the Guilds for over a tional organization, which would act as 1 Sutton Villas, Lower Dargle Road thousand years in the development of Bray, Co. Wicklow or the final arbiter in disputes between civilization. 33 Athol Street, Belfast BT12 4GX or various interest groups and would play a ******************************************************************************** major role in negotiating collective wage 2 Newington Green Mansions, London N16 9BT "Guilds, in medieval western Europe, and price agreements. When the report or Labour Comment, TEL: 021-4676029 associations formed for mutual aid and was published in 1943 it was largely C/O Shandon St. P.O., Cork protection and for the furtherance of relig- ignored, though it influenced the structure ious or professional interests. The earliest of the Labour Court which was established Subscription by Post: guilds seem to have been the frith or in 1946" (p105-06). 12 issues: £20, UK; € 30, Ireland; € 35, Europe. peace guilds, groups associated for mutual aid after the breakdown of the protection "De Valera placated the Catholic integ- Electronic Subscription: originally provided by the earlier institu- ralist lobby by setting up the Commis- € 15 / £12 for 12 issues tion of the kin (or group related by blood sion on Vocational Organization on 10 (or € 1.30 / £1.10 per issue) ties). Religious confraternities, for purely January 1939. The temperamental Bishop You can also order from: spiritual objects, existed throughout the of Galway, Michael Browne, was made https://www.atholbooks-sales.org continued on page 31