Friday, August 13, 2004

Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British....... :

DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;

THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .


.......with only 24 hours notice , the British had banned the 'Monster Meeting' planned for Sunday 8th October 1843 , in Clontarf , Dublin . Daniel O'Connell backed down , and issued the following poster in reply to the British banning .......

NOTICE

WHEREAS there has appeared , under the Signatures of " E.B. SUGDEN , C. DONOUGHMORE , ELIOT F BLACKBURN , E. BLAKENEY , FRED SHAW , T.B.C. SMITH , " a paper being , or purporting to be , a PROCLAMATION , drawn up in very loose and inaccurate terms , and manifestly misrepresenting known facts ; the objects of which appear to be , to prevent the PUBLIC MEETING , intended to be held TO-MORROW , the 8th instant , at CLONTARF , TO PETITION PARLIAMENT for the REPEAL of the baleful and destructive measure of the LEGISLATIVE UNION .

AND WHEREAS , such Proclamation has not appeared until LATE IN THE AFTERNOON OF THIS SATURDAY , THE 7th , so that it is utterly impossible that the knowledge of its existence could be communicated in the usual Official Channels , or by the Post , in time to have its contents known to the Persons intending to meet at CLONTARF , for the purpose of Petitioning , as aforesaid , whereby ill-disposed Persons may have an opportunity , under cover of said Proclamation , to provoke Breaches of the Peace , or to commit Violence on Persons intending to proceed peaceably and legally to the said Meeting .

WE , therefore , the COMMITTEE of the LOYAL NATIONAL REPEAL ASSOCIATION , do most earnestly request and entreat , that all well-disposed persons will , IMMEDIATELY on receiving this intimation , repair to their own dwellings , and not place themselves in peril of any collision , or of receiving any ill-treatment whatsoever . And we do further inform all such persons , that without yielding in any thing to the unfounded allegations in said alleged Proclamation , we deem it prudent and wise , and above all things humane , to declare that said
MEETING IS ABANDONED, AND IS NOT TO BE HELD.

SIGNED BY ORDER ,

DANIEL O'CONNELL,
CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE .

T. M. RAY , Secretary .

SATURDAY , 7 th OCTOBER , 1843 .
3 O 'CLOCK P.M.

RESOLVED - That the above Cautionary Notice be immediately transmitted by Express to the Very Reverend and Reverend Gentlemen who signed the Requisition for the CLONTARF MEETING , and to all adjacent Districts , SO AS TO PREVENT the influx of Persons coming to the intended Meeting .

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN .

Browne,Printer, 36 Nassau Street.

(MORE LATER).


WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :

war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.

By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.

BURNINGS.......

".......two of our men , Con Sean Jer and Paddy Riordan , were nearly shot dead by the British as they were in the process of burning the RIC Barracks in Ballyvourney ......."

" We burned no house occupied by a civilian , loyalist or otherwise . The enemy burned nothing but private houses and property ; in other areas , it is true that the IRA reacted to this destruction by burning loyalist houses in an effort to halt it . The enemy's burnings were invariably carried out as a reprisal for an attack upon them . They were both senseless and cruel - the victims were generally the occupants of the houses nearest to the scene of the action . Whether or not they were sympathetic to the IRA did not matter .

They were ordered out of their homes and the torch applied - by this means the British hoped to terrorise the people and demoralise them to such an extent that they would inform on the IRA . It had the opposite effect . The people would not think of betraying the IRA though the enemy did his best to provide them with easy means of doing so ...

...the following is a copy of one of the leaflets posted up in public places by the British....... "

(MORE LATER).


THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......

Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .

Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .


First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.

Re-produced here in 21 parts .

(12 of 21).

In 1964 , the CIA spent $4 million dollars securing the election of the Christian Democrats in Chile and heading off the challenge of the socialist Salvador Allende ; in 1970 , Allende looked like winning . " I don't see why , " said Henry Kissinger , " we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its own people . "

The CIA went into action ; the American companies ITT and Anaconda Copper offered the CIA $1,500,000 between them to stop Salvador Allende - the CIA told them to use the money in their own campaigns , as they had enough money . It all failed ...

...on 4th September 1970 , Allende got the biggest popular vote ; his election was due for confirmation on 24th October 1970 by the Chilean Congress . The CIA set up a task force and spent $250,000 trying to influence the Chilean Congress . But it did'nt work .......

(MORE LATER).






Thursday, August 12, 2004

Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British....... :

DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;

THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .


.......the British 'authorities' were worried about the level of support for the 'Monster Meetings' ; on Saturday , 7th October 1843 , they banned one such meeting which was due to take place the following day in Clontarf , Dublin .......

Daniel O'Connell protested at the banning , as did his colleagues in the leadership of the 'Loyal National Repeal Association' - they were later to be arrested by the Brits and sentenced to a year in prison for 'conspiracy' , but this judgement was then reversed in the British House of Lords .

When , on that Saturday , the 7th of October 1843 , O'Connell noticed that posters were being put-up in Dublin by the British 'authorities' stating that the following days meeting had been banned , he backed down ; in this scribblers opinion he should have 'stuck to his guns' and ignored the British 'writ' - he should have went ahead with the Clontarf 'Monster Meeting' therby 'putting it up' to the Brits .

But... "moral force only" won the day ; O'Connell issued his own poster that same day (ie Saturday 7th October 1843) as well as spreading the word through the 'grapevine' that the meeting was cancelled . That poster makes for interesting reading .......

(MORE LATER).


WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :

war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.

By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.

BURNINGS.......

".......when both the RIC and the British Army had left Ballyvourney , we made a move on the RIC Barracks to burn it ; we were too relaxed for our own good ......."

" At noon on 1st November , two local IRA Volunteers - Con Sean Jer ('Kelleher') and Paddy Riordan were engaged in sprinkling the interior with petrol ; the rush of many feet and a fierce hammering on the front door was the first intimation they had that the enemy was upon them . The back door was open and both IRA men ran through it to the yard at the rear . Con held an unlighted torch in one hand ...

...the time was short but he paused , struck a match , lit the torch and , turning , flung it through the open door - the building burst into flame , and Con and Paddy threw themselves flat on the ground in the nick of time to allow a volley of bullets pass over them . British Auxiliaries from Macroom had dashed , in their lorries , to the gate and had run the short distance to the house . Con and Paddy made another rush , running at a slant towards the cover of the Cascade Wood ; a heavy fire clipped the undergrowth around them .

A lorry had run up the road behind the wood with the object of cutting off their retreat . The Auxies dismounted and ran towards the Cascade Bridge , but both IRA men had just crossed it and , unseen, had gained the high ground at Ceapach . Too close for comfort . "

(MORE LATER).


THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......

Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .

Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .


First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.

Re-produced here in 21 parts .

(11 of 21).

The CIA decided to make a pornographic movie featuring a Sukarno double romping with a supposed Soviet blonde spy ; this would be used to discredit him . They made the movie with the help of Los Angeles porn merchants and titled it 'Happy Days' . Meanwhile , anti-Sukarno guerrillas were being organised and CIA pilots were flying bombing raids in support .

One pilot , Alan Pope , was shot down and captured after he mistakenly (?) bombed a church , killing most of the worshippers . Eventually , Sukarno agreed to accept American money and stay away from the Soviets - the CIA left him alone . Whatever works .......

(MORE LATER).






Wednesday, August 11, 2004

Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British....... :

DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;

THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .


....... Daniel O'Connell's speech on the 15th August 1843 on the Hill of Tara in County Meath was heard by approximately one million people . The British 'authorities' were listening , too , but they did'nt like it .......

The 'Monster Meetings' were a great success - despite all the "misfortunes" (as the Brits would have it) that the Irish people were suffering in their daily lives ; the desire , the demand , for a British withdrawal had not gone away . And , as stated here a few paragraphs back , after the Tara 'Monster Meeting' (15th August 1843) the Brits decided it just was'nt cricket : enough was enough .

A 'Monster Meeting' planned for Clontarf , in Dublin , which was to take place on Sunday , 8th October , 1843 , was banned by the Brits on Saturday , 7th October 1843 - the day before the event was due to take place ; Daniel O'Connell and others in the leadership of 'The Loyal National Repeal Association' quickly lodged a complaint.......

(MORE LATER).


WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :

war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.

By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.

BURNINGS.......

".......the lands on which once stood 'the Great House' in Ballyvourney now hold no fear ; it is a place for a snooze on a nice day , under a chestnut tree , where you can dream of the 'landlord' looking for his 'rent' , and the RIC grabbing you , and the 'judge' scolding you ......."

" ...then you wake up - the cold weather has saved you ; with more or less hasty steps you brush the dew away across the lawn and , walking straight through the Great House , walk away .

The enemy won the next move in the game ; immediately the Great House was destroyed , he occupied a fair-sized building a half-mile from the RIC Barracks . During the remainder of the summer and early autumn , this half-company of the British regular Army was very active ; the RIC and Black and Tans did little . Both garrisons found it difficult to maintain their communications and supplies with Macroom , ten miles away .

We blocked and trenched the roads and , on a few occasions , roughly handled these elements of the enemy . Realising that the occupation of Ballyvourney during the winter months would pay very poor dividends , both garrisons were withdrawn at the end of the autumn . We did not burn the house which had sheltered the British military , but we burned the RIC Barracks .

Since both garrisons had departed , little precautions had been taken to guard against surprise while burning the RIC Barracks ; this was a mistake on our part ......."

(MORE LATER).


THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......

Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .

Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .


First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.

Re-produced here in 21 parts .

(10 of 21).

In 1954 , the CIA revived its earlier plan (of 1952) to stage a coup against the Arbenz government in Guatemala - it spent $20 million dollars organising a guerilla army and air force . They selected Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas as the new leader and in June 1954 he overthrew Arbenz .

Sometimes other methods were tried : in 1957 , President Sukarno of Indonesia became a CIA target - he was considered too soft on communism . Frank Wisner , Deputy Director of CIA Operations , said - "I think its time we held Sukarno's feet to the fire ." Sukarno was sex mad ; when he visited Egypt in 1958 , he rang President Nasser from his hotel (this is known because the CIA had the phone tapped) and invited Nasser over ...

... " I have three gorgeous Pan American stewardesses here with me and they'd like to have a party ..." There was a pause , then Nasser curtly declined and slammed down the telephone .......

(MORE LATER).






Tuesday, August 10, 2004

Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British....... :

DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;

THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .


....... the 'Monster Meeting' held on 15th August 1843 (161 years ago , almost to the date) on the Hill of Tara was the biggest since they began ; approximately one million people attended .......

.... On that day in Irish history , Daniel O'Connell addressed a sea of people -

- " We are at Tara of the Kings - the spot from which emanated the social power , the legal authority , the right to dominion over the furthest extremes of the land .... the strength and majority of the National Movement was never exhibited so imposingly as at this great meeting . The numbers exceed any that ever before congregated in Ireland in peace or war . It is a sight not grand alone but appalling - not exciting merely pride , but fear . Step by step , we are approaching the great goal of Repeal of the Union , but it is at length with the strides of a giant . "

Again , it must be stressed that Daniel O'Connell would use only "moral force" to achieve what he termed "...Repeal of the Union " and, even then , favoured the island of Ireland remaining as a unit governed by the British 'Monarchy' - a 'new' coat of varnish on rotten timber . O'Connell could 'talk the talk...' but .......

However - the 'Monster Meetings' were a great success ; even if the Brits did'nt think so .......

(MORE LATER).


WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :

war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.

By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.

BURNINGS.......

"....... 2nd June 1920 - the proposed new enemy barracks in Inchigeela , the 'Glebe House' , was burned down by us ; on 5th June that year , we burned down Ballingeary Barracks . Our next target , on 9th June 1920 , was the 'Great House' in Ballyvourney ......."

" Once again , the Brits were forestalled in Ballyvourney ; the 'Great House' , fully furnished , had stood unoccupied for some time . It had ceased to function as of yore , and had lately passed into the hands of a man of the people ; it was regrettable, therefore , to have to burn it , since it was now his property . But it was absolutely necessary to do so . In a war one does not present the enemy with fully furnished barracks where he wants them .

So on the night of 9th June 1920 , the 'Great House' ceased to exist ; its very walls have disappeared and the 'Lawn Gate' gives access now to the Lawn . Here you may enter at your pleasure and sit and dream in the shade of the big chestnut tree . If a ghostly servitor , in knee breeches and claw-hammer coat , approaches and asks you if you have brought the rent , you'll know you have been dozing ! If the vision persists , tell him that despite the streamlined tails of his coat , he is out of date ; he will then sadly depart and you may watch his progress around the drive to the gravelled walk . Here he turns right and , walking up into the air , disappears - he has just climbed the ghostly steps of the 'Great House' to acquaint his lord and master that a mere Irishman without the 'rent' in his pocket exists under the chestnut tree ...

If you do not wake up a swarm of minions may surround you and bear you to the dungeon under the courthouse , a be-wigged judge on the bench , and an RIC man or two on either side of you . You will note the 'needle-point' moustaches of the latter as sentence is passed and you wake up with a start ......."

(MORE LATER).


THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......

Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .

Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .


First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.

Re-produced here in 21 parts .

(9 of 21).

In 1951 , the CIA launched 'Operation Ajex' to remove Muhammad Mossadeq , the leader of Iran . They choose General Fazlollah Zahedi to be the new leader of Iran , pending the return of the Shah , and organised a coup against Mossadeq . General Zahedi had been interned by the British during the war because of his pro-Nazi sympathies . After the coup , the British - who up to 1951 controlled all of Iran's oil - were reduced to a 40 per cent share . Now the Americans also had a 40 per cent share ....

In 1952 , the CIA had prepared a coup against the Arbenz government in Guatemala ; the coup was aborted . In 1953 Arbenz nationalised the United Fruit Company (who had been involved in transporting arms for the abortive coup).......

(MORE LATER).






Monday, August 09, 2004

.......and we're back ! Our 'Junior' had his weekend break (and 'love-in' with the new moth !) and is now back , all 'starry-eyed' , behind his desk here in '1169 Central.......'

Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British....... :

DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;

THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .


.......on 15th August 1843 , another one of the 'Repeal' Movements' 'Monster Meetings' was held - this time on the Hill of Tara , in County Meath ; the Brits , already worried at the level of support for these meetings , made their move .......

The 'Young Irelanders' newspaper , 'The Nation' , put the figure for those in attendance at the Hill of Tara 'Monster Meeting' at three-quarters of a million people "without fear of exaggeration" ; Daniel O'Connell himself claimed it was at least one-and-a-half million people , while another newspaper of the day ('The Times' ?) reported -

- " The whole district was covered with men . The population within a days march began to arrive on foot shortly after daybreak and continued to arrive , on all sides and by every available approach , 'till noon . It was impossible from any one point to see the entire meeting . The number is supposed to have reached between 500,000 and 700,000 persons . "

Other reports stated that O'Connell's marshals were on horseback , that the crowds arrived on foot and in carriages , banners were present , as were bands and groups in " historic fancy dress " . Indeed , archaeologists have found human bones on the site , some of which are said to be 4000 years old , and traces of wooden platforms , bits of clay pipes and , of course (!) , whiskey bottles , dating back to the mid - 19th Century .......


WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :

war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.

By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.

BURNINGS.......

".......just as the lock was about to give , the British Troops stopped . They went down the stone stairs and , minutes later , were marching back to Macroom . What damage had they caused to my near-by house , where my mother was .......?"

" We approached the house with some caution ; my mother knelt at an upstairs window - she had heard the rude knocking at the door , had seen some of the raiders search the house while others passed on uphill to the farmyard . She had listened for the shots which seemed inevitable , but meanwhile she had prayed to God who orders all things . That eternity of suspence was now over , the night past , the sun risen , the enemy departed - and we stood before her . We did not speak for we knew that she still prayed , but we raised our hands in salute ; her smile was our reward .

Although it grieved us to do so , we did not spare the property of our own people when it became a military necessity to destroy it ; this was the case with the Glebe House , Inchigeela ; IRA Intelligence had again warned us that it was about to be taken over by a Company of the regular British Army . On the evening of 2 June 1920 , we burned it down ; among the local IRA Volunteers who assisted at the operation was the son of the owner of the house ! Before the burning a few Volunteer Officers had started to break the news to the owner , by telling him of the impending occupation . He saved them further trouble by interjecting : " Burn it , lads ! Burn it ! "

Three days later , Ballingeary Barracks , just evacuated by a garrison of the RIC and Black and Tans , was destroyed by fire . The two IRA Volunteers who carried out the task did it to perfection , but, despite their extreme care , they got themselves slightly scorched . The physical damage they sustained was negligible , but they had to bear with fortitude the jokes of their IRA comrades ; for , having sprinkled the interior of the building , they retired the width of the street from it , and then hurled a lighted torch through the open door of the barracks but - a tongue of flame shot back at them ! It was bad luck indeed .

But no such 'bad luck' was experienced four days later at 'The Great House' in Ballyvourney ......."

(MORE LATER).


THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......

Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .

Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .


First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.

Re-produced here in 21 parts .

(8 of 21).

The CIA had done a good job ; from now on if governments were to be subverted it would be the biggest kid on the block who would do it . In the early 1960's , the CIA supplied the money , the guns and advice for a coup against President Goulart of Brazi , who was considered too leftist . A CIA agent , Howard McCabe , masterminded a two-year campaign of subversion against the left-wing Prime Minister of Guyana , Cheddi Jagan , bringing him down .

The masterminding of coups against foreign governments was almost part of the CIA's 'stock-in-trade' ; in 1951 the British wanted to get rid of Muhammad Mossadeq , the Iranian leader who had nationalised their oil company . Fearful of a confromtation which would hurt oil supplies , the Americans told the British to stand aside : the CIA launched 'Operation Ajax' .......

(MORE LATER).