Friday, February 20, 2009

Republican Sinn Féin placard for the trade union-organised street protest in Dublin on Saturday 21st February 2009.

Republican Sinn Féin will be represented on the ICTU-organised street protest against the cut-backs imposed by State politicians in Leinster House ; we were there for the pensioners and the students and we will be there , too, for the workers and the unemployed who are being penalised by the millionaire and wannabe-millionaire political class who only have two concerns - to save their own rich but worthless skins and that of their equally rich but worthless big business buddies. Like other groups taking part in this trade union-organised street protest , we are hopeful of a large turnout for this event , which will begin at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin at 2pm.
Some of us will be attending another Dublin event that night - you're welcome to join us at one or both of these events!

Thanks!
Sharon.






Wednesday, February 18, 2009


THE IRA : the new IRA is younger , more radical and has seen little of life other than violence.......
By Ed Moloney.
From 'Magill' magazine, September 1980.

Ed Maloney : " There has been a considerable reduction in IRA activity in 1980 compared with the two previous years . What is the reason for that lull ? "

IRA : " First of all we're not at all dismayed by what we have achieved this year . We have to maintain a certain level of armed activity to effect political change within the Six Counties , to make 'political progress' impossible . We have effectively done that this year . For example , the Atkins' proposals are getting nowhere and the SDLP , who have risen to power on the back of our armed struggle , and the Loyalists , have mutually incongruous political manifestos which we have helped to temper on both sides , although saying that the Loyalists are inherently sectarian anyway.

The other aspect of our armed struggle is to affect the morale of the British Army and to create an impact on the British people .

We have not managed to match last year's performance this year , because circumstances have been forced upon us and there have been some material problems . But we are totally confident that we can overcome these short term problems..... "

(MORE LATER).



SPIES UNDER A SPOTLIGHT.
'British Intelligence And Covert Action' , by Jonathan Bloch and Patrick FitzGerald. Published by Brandon/Junction ,1983. Reviewed here by Peter Hayes.

The 'Casuro Holidays Affair'- in which two Irish couples revealed that they had unwittingly been guests of British Intelligence on expensive 'prize' holidays in Spain , in failed bids to recruit them as informers - might well make it appear that there's more money involved than actual intelligence in the murky world of British covert operations .

Indeed , Jonathan Bloch and Patrick FitzGerald's comprehensive account of the British government's covert attempts to give an added impetus to its official diplomacy , particularly in the affairs of the Middle East and post-colonial Africa , is frequently a tale of costly British Foreign Office and MI6 miscalculations and follies that at best delay rather than fundamentally alter the course of political events .

Nevertheless , the centrality of intelligence operations in every aspect of British political affairs , both domestic and foreign , is well argued by Bloch and FitzGerald , particularly in their detailed survey of the links between intelligence and the popular media , and the use of the SAS in 'unofficial' and often mercenary wars.......
(MORE LATER).




TEN YEARS IN ENGLISH JAILS.
Anne and Eileen Gillespie were arrested in April 1974 following an explosion in a Manchester house where IRA Volunteers were preparing incendiaries , and were sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for earlier bombing attacks in which they had no part , serving the bulk of their sentence in the maximum securuty wing of Durham Jail. Released at the end of last August , they talked to 'IRIS' about their experience , at their home in Gweedore , County Donegal .
From 'IRIS' magazine, August 1984.

The Gillespie family emigrated to England from Donegal on August 18th 1962 . We were children (Anne was twelve and Eileen was nine) and our father had gone to England about two years earlier to look for work , so rather than split the family up we all went to live in England together .

After we left school we both worked in a hospital , one of us as a nurse and the other as a receptionist . We were working in that hospital up until our arrest ; when that happened , we were detained at the docks at Hollyhead as we were driving on to the boat and held by the Welsh police before being taken to Manchester where we were held for three days and then charged .

It was a very frightening experience - in Manchester they stripped us , they hardly let us go to the toilet , we weren't allowed to wash ourselves , and we didn't get anything to eat or drink until the third day. During those three days we were constantly interviewed . When one interrogator stopped another would take over and at night they played a radio outside our cell doors so that we couldn't get any sleep.......
(MORE LATER).







Tuesday, February 17, 2009

'FULL HOUSE' ON THE CARDS , THANKS TO SOCCER !

"They arent an official supporters club but more of a group of friends having a function.."

"Anyway, Liverpool and Everton supporters were always renown for not having the same violent antipathy towards one another that you find in other cities. It's certainly not like Glascow!"

"If you dont wanna go to it then dont but dont try and spoil it for those of us that do wanna go..."

"There are a few of us coming over from Aberdeen for this, Arrive on Friday morning, Can't wait for it to be honest! Great Work and Hail Hail...!"

"There are a group coming over from Aberdeen purely to support a new CSC. We were invited over by one of the lads in the club who used to stay in Aberdeen. Looking forward to it and the weekend in finglas...."

An unexpected 'result' . Of sorts! The above quotes are taken from a thread we started on this site, to help friends of ours promote a function they have organised (see below) : if you have an opinion , feel free to join in . If you want a good night out , then read on....



'Mad Kevin' and the lads and lassies that he hangs around with are fantastic supporters of Republicanism and have , on more than one occasion, gone out of their way to attend gigs organised by the Republican Movement in Dublin : so now it's pay-back time!
As stated on the above-pictured ticket , a ballad session featuring Allan and Padráig Mór from Shebeen will be held on Saturday 21st February 2009 in The Village Inn, Finglas, Dublin. A raffle will be held on the night and 'halftime' entertainment has been organised. Doors open at 9pm and admission is €10 per person.
Kevin and that particular 'Celtic Crew' are a lively bunch, to put it mildly (!) so a good night is guaranteed. This blog will be represented on the night , even if we do have to pay full price at the door ;-) ... !
If you're in Dublin yourself on February 21st next , see you there!
(One of the Organisers for this Celtic ballad night , Kevin , has asked that a contact mobile-phone number be made available for those wishing to inquire re ticket availability etc .
That number is :
085-8376208.)
Thanks!
Sharon.
( Post Script : my own knowledge of those type of sports is limited to being aware that rugby is a game played by men with odd-shaped balls.... ;-) )