Letters

Generation who will never be broken

A chara

As an Irish Republican I found it reassuring to read Éamonn Collins’s article, “Farewell to the Rearguard” in the Belfast 'Irish News', May 25, 1998. His paranoiac ravings, reminiscent of high Official rhetoric, proves that traditional and unrepentant Republican opposition to British rule remains a threat to the colonial connection: he criticises the “right-wing green nationalist of Republican Sinn Féin and the Continuity Army (sic), while dismissing true Irish Republicans as “a group of unskilled neanderthals from the lumpen proletariat”.

Collins then goes on to attack the characters and politics of Commandant-General Tom Maguire, Ruairí O Brádaigh and Bernadette Sands McKevitt from his privileged position as “a former IRA man who now rejects the use of violence”. With the furious zeal of a convert to the Establishment, he castigates those Irish people who dare claim their country for themselves. Just as the G-men at Dublin Castle would have done in their day, he describes Dâil Éireann’ declaration of Ireland’s sovereignty and independence as “completely farcical . . . against a backdrop of British power and military might”.

Fortunately for Ireland, and for humanity, such pro-imperialist propaganda does not wash with a righteous few among every generation whose “dauntless thought” – the certainty of the correctness and truth of their revolutionary position – will never be broken, regardless of their enemy’s strength. Collins’s anxiety over this reality is thus expressed” “let us all hope these ‘shadows of a gunman’ from the past fail. If they don’t, none of us will ever know freedom.”

Abusive and derogatory language aside, Êamonn Collins misses the point. The revolutionary, anti-colonial politics of the Republican Movement are not subject to the outcomes of imperialist and partitionist referenda. Just as the British threatened Tom Maguire’s generation with “immediate and terrible war”, so too do the British threaten those of us who continue to oppose them, while they purchase those who are willing to work for them. Just like Tom Maguire, there are some people who refuse to be beaten, and just like Kevin O’Higgins, or Quisling of Norway, there will always be people willing to work against them – for a price.

DEAGLÁN Ó DONGHAILE
Republican Sinn Féin
Derry
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Countess Bridge unveiling

A chara

As Kerry representative for the National Graves Association of Ireland, may I appeal to family members of the Republicans murdered at Countess Bridge by Free Staters in 1923 to contact me or our Dublin office at 74 Dame Street, Dublin 2.

Our Association are to carry out restoration work soon on the Republican Plot in Killarney at the spot where the Republicans murdered at Countess Bridge are buried. Mrs Mary Brosnan of Castleisland whose uncle was one of those killed is hoping that a commemoration could be held at the plot in June. Restoration work will be completed by then so that a plaque to Irish Republican Army Captain Murphy, Killorglin, killed in 1923 will be unveiled.

A comrade of Captain Murphy, Dan Keating, Ballygamboon, Castlemaine will unveil the plaque at the request of the Murphy family and the NGA.

JOHN HOULIHAN
National Graves Association
Kerry representative
Currow, Killarney, Co Kerry
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Don’t bring the Corgis!

When the Queen of England comes calling at the beck and call of her West Brit cronies as no doubt she will, she need not concern herself if her Corgis have to be quarantined.

All she really has to do for canine company on her trip will be to bring along some leads and collars, preferably designed for hard necks. She will be met at the airport by Bertie the Rogue Hound, the John Bull Mastiff Bruton and the once-thought untameable hybrid hound, the Grizzly Adams, tamed and muzzled at last. This latter breed which now amazingly eats out of hands some say was once a much regarded gun-dog.

Her Majesty most surely will be advised when walking her dogs to steer clear of the territory of an historic native breed, the Irish Republican Terrier which seems to have eluded muzzling legislation and somehow survived savage attacks by hunters for their much-prized pelts. These rugged mountain dogs are now seen appearing in large urban areas and strangely enough seem drawn at times to the vicinity of military and RUC installations seemingly sensing that there may be some tasty morsels to be devoured in such areas.

The British Queen will be strongly advised to keep herself and her pets to the main busy thoroughfares, as these high-spirited gritty and noble creatures are fiercely territorial.

DOG LOVER
Dublin
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Harassment of ‘No’ campaign workers

Who says censorship has been dropped? Section 31 and all that. While working on canvassing for a ‘No’ vote in the referendums in May on behalf of Republican Sinn Féin myself and my co-corkers were constantly harassed by uniformed 26-County police, names taken etc. I wonder would the same apply if we were Fianna Fáil workers on the same campaign? So much for democracy and fairness!
TOM RYAN
Ballymun
Dublin BR Contents

Rising out of the ashes

I feel sure Gerry Adams and his cohorts will remember the words of the poem written during this present conflict, “You watched your Irish people cry, you watched your Irish people die and wrung your Pontius hands on high.”

It makes one wonder if those who wrote those words had a greater insight into the minds of Adams and his cohorts than the real Republicans had, as it seems that Adams and his cohorts not only watched it all, but were instrumental in sending them out to die and present events tells us that it is them who wrung their Pontius hands on high.

Does Adams recall what he said about British troops being on the streets of Belfast. “They have no right to be here and everyone that is, volunteered to be here.” Rightly and justifiably he still condemns their presence in Ireland so why has he volunteered to join in all that they stand for?

Has it not been repeatedly stated by the Provos that British troops and British laws were designed to keep Irish nationalists in hell for eternity? What has changed their minds as the same problems imposed on Irish nationalists still exist?. I would suggest that Adams and his cohorts need to examine their consciences to decide just whose side they are really on.

It is a well-known fact that one’s future is built on our own experiences from the past and our past history tells us that we cannot “Embrace the future”, that Mr Blair wants us to as one cannot embrace a future that is controlled by one’s oppressors. One cannot run with the hare and the hounds you are one or the other.

It was written by a famous Polish poet, “Do not forgive them. You do not have the power or the right to forgive those who betrayed you at the dawn.” Those are words of wisdom, that need to be paid heed to.

The Chinese refer to those who have betrayed them as “double-headed snakes” for no matter how you touch them the vipers will bite you.

Remember Gerry, The Phoenix, especially the Republican Phoenix, it will and is rising again out of the ashes that you and your misguided cohorts created for it.

GEARÓID UA CAISIDE
Sasana
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Cearta Gaeilge agus na reifrinn

Maidir leis an dá Reifreann atá socruithe ag an Rialtas do 22 Bealtaine na bliana seo, tá séanadh cearta ar mhuintir na hÉireann i gceist sa dá chás:

Seachas an chéad cháipéis ar Reifreann Amstardam “Forléargas” atá a scaipeadh faoi láthair ar theaghlaigh an stáit, beidh gach cáipéis eile sa dá reifreann á scaipeadh ar gach teach sa stáit as Béarla amháin, fiú amháin sa nGaeltacht.

Dár ndóigh beidh leaganacha Gaeilge le fáil acu siúd sásta dul á gcuartu go speisialta, ach níl seo ag léiriú “parity of esteem” don Ghaeilge. Tá an droch-staid céanna ann maidir le fógraí raidió, teilifís agus nuachtáin náisiúnta – tá muid srianta d’fhógraíocht Béarla amháin (seachas roinnt des na meáin Ghaeilge).

Duradh linn agus muid ag dul isteach san Aontas Eorpach go mbeadh an-chuidiú ann do fhorbairt ár dteanga agus cultúr féin, ach más sampla é an Reifreann seo don meas atá ag Aontas na hEorpa ar an nGaeilge, is fíor-droch chomhartha é. Is féidir an rud cêanna a rá faoin gComhaontú sa Tuaisceart.

Is baill muid de roinnt mhaith eagras Ghaeilge agus táimid ag iarraidh ar gach aoinne gur spéis leo cothrom na Féinne agus cearta sibhialta, vótáil i gcoinne na leasuithe Bunreachtúla sa dá reifreann seo, mar agóid in aghaidh an easpa “parity of esteem” atá á taispeáint don Ghaeilge.

EIBHLÍN Ní PRIOSÁIN
CRIS Ní CHOISDEALBHA
TOMÁS Ó CUILINN
ÚNA Ní SHÉACHÁIN
AOIFE Ní ÉANAIGH
SÉAMUS Ó MUINEACHÁIN
AENGUS Ó SNODAIGH
CAITRÍONA Uí MHUIRCHEARTAIGH
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‘The Real IRA’

Recent media reports re the emergence of a “new IRA” need to be judged against an historical perspective.

The Leinster House assembly was first assembled on January 14, 1922, and was established under the British ‘Government of Ireland Act 1920’ where it was titled the ‘'Parliament of Southrn Ireland’. It was the pro-Treaty TDs who walked out of the All-Ireland Dáil Éireann to establish the Irish Free State and thereby earn the official recognition of the British government (this act of subversion sowed the seed of the Civil War).

The All-Ireland Dáil continued to function underground until 1938 when it delegated its executive powers to the Army Council of the IRA in accordance with a resolution of the First Dáil in 1921. With the 1969 split, Comdt-General Tom Maguire, the last and faithful survivor of the All-Ireland Dáil stated that the Provisional IRA was the successor of the 1938 body — similarly, following the 1986 division, Tom Maguire nominated the Continuity IRA as the legitimate IRA. Comdt-General Tom Maguire died in 1993, aged 101.

The PIRA has existed for the last twelve years as the military wing of a Leinster House-registered political party. And that Leinster House-registered party does not, by definition, constitute a part of the Republican Movement. It left same in 1986.

JOHN HORAN (PRO)
Comhairle Ceantair Átha Cliath
223 Parnell Street
Dublin 1
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