> IRISH NEWS ROUND-UP > http://irlnet.com/rmlist/ > > Easter Holiday, 21-24 April, 2000 > > > 1. AHERN DENIES RECEIVING BRIBE > 2. Thousands demand change at Easter rallies > 3. Helicopter crash may have left two British soldiers dead > 4. Dublin to call for Hamill inquiry > 5. Pipe bombs intended for republicans > 6. Soldiers hamper Divis rescue > 7. London Friends back Agreement > 8. History: The Battle of Mount Street Bridge > 9. Analysis: The next steps > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > > >>>>>> AHERN DENIES RECEIVING BRIBE > > > > The Dublin coalition government is under grave threat following > allegations that the Irish Prime Minister, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern > improperly received #50,000 from the Cork developer, Mr Owen > O'Callaghan, in 1989. > > A businessman has made a sworn statement to the Sunday Business > Post newspaper claiming that he gave cheques to the tune of > #50,000 each to two "senior politicians". One of the payments, > apparently in return for planning permission for lucrative > commercial developments, was allegedly handed over in the > car-park of the Burlington hotel in Dublin. > > Ahern, who faces the certain collapse of his coalition government > if the allegations are vindicated, issued a vehement denial. > > "I can say I never received one penny from Owen O'Callaghan, for > myself, for the party, or for anyone else. I never got it in the > Burlington or anywhere else. I never got money anywhere else > either from anything to do with Owen O'Callaghan," Mr Ahern said. > > A spokesman for Mr O'Callaghan confirmed he had made several > donations to Ahern's Fianna Fail party over the past 11 years, as > well as donations to individual Fianna Fail politicians. He > issued a statement in which he said he believed it was obvious > that there was "a serious personal, business or political > vendetta" against him. > > Meanwhile, Fianna Fail is deciding its approach to its members of > parliament and councillors who were identified by lobbyist Frank > Dunlop as having received political donations in return for their > vote on the Quarryvale development project in Dublin in 1991. Mr > Dunlop, who admitted making the bribe payments at the Flood > tribunal of inquiry on Wednesday, was working as a political > lobbyist by Mr O'Callaghan at the time. > > Among those in the limelight is member of parliament Liam Lawlor, > who has admitted receiving at least #40,000 in a "legitimate > electoral donation". > > The Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams described as "disgraceful" > the revelations arising from the Flood tribunal. "There is graft > right into the very sinews of the political institutions," he > said. > > He described as "verbalised republicans" those who were prepared > to take cash payments in brown envelopes for political favours. > > TURNING POINT > > Last week marked a turning-point in a long battle of attrition > between those who wish to expose corruption in Dublin planning in > the 1970s and 1980s and those who want to conceal this for as > long as possible. > > Frank Dunlop's dramatic revelations of payments to councillors > were the culmination of months of legal sleuthing that saw Dunlop > irretrievably painted into a corner. Faced with having to explain > the inexplicable, he chose to come clean. > > It will be some time before Mr Justice Flood concludes his > marathon investigation into planning permission corruption, but > it is now clear that the tribunal has found good reason to > believe many of the allegations it is investigating. > > But for over two years Mr Justice Flood and his legal team at > Dublin Castle have contended with powerful forces, would-be > witnesses and their legal, financial and media advisers, who have > fought tooth-and-nail to prevent or delay the evidence coming > out. > > Money is no object for many of the wealthy individuals who are > the subject of these allegations. Rafts of expensive lawyers and > other advisers have been drafted in to serve their interests. > High Court actions are launched with little concern for the > enormous costs involved. Top-dollar public relations consultants > are hired, seemingly to sit on their hands all day. > > The tribunal has been forced to traipse through the High Court > and even the Supreme Court up to a dozen times. The response of > many parties to requests for information has been leisurely at > best. Deadlines came and went, and correspondence flew back and > forth. Yet it always seemed that the necessary records arrived at > the last minute, before a party's witness was due to give > evidence. On other occasions, vast amounts of documentation were > handed in, amounting to tens of thousands of documents. > > The tribunal first contacted Frank Dunlop in September 1998. Last > year he provided them with an affidavit of discovery, saying he > had declared all his bank accounts. This wasn't the case, and the > crucial bank account at the Rathfarnham Road branch of Allied > Irish Banks, the main source of the councillors' cash, only came > to light last February. Information about another, hitherto > unknown, account emerged only last Tuesday, as Dunlop was being > grilled by tribunal lawyers. > > Following the "money trail" is crucial to the success of the > tribunal. It certainly proved Frank Dunlop's downfall. Yet > accountants and financial institutions have played their own role > in slowing down the process. So far, the tribunal has heard of > three different floods that have allegedly afflicted places where > financial records are stored, and two separate fires. > > The performance this week of Michael Fingleton, chief executive > of the Irish Nationwide Building Society, is fairly typical. > Fingleton seemed to have difficulty understanding the terms of > the tribunal's order to produce documents from its Cork branch. > > It took him two months to produce a few boxes, contents unknown, > until he was pressed further. At one stage, he said the documents > had been placed in central storage. Asked where that was, he > replied: "Everywhere". The chairman accused him of having a > "cavalier" attitude. > > But fear, intimidation, obstruction, time-wasting and > spin-doctoring are the weapons of choice of some of those anxious > to keep out of the limelight. > > Deflecting the blame and spreading the muck have become the > standard tactics. As a leading Fianna Fail figure came under fire > last week based on statements by Dunlop, the finger was > conveniently pointed instead at Tom Hand an opposition TD who > died in 1996. The ploy was too ambitious, however. The focus > shifted back angrily to Dunlop, who came in for the grilling from > tribunal lawyer Patrick Hanratty that led to revelations of > payments to 15 councillors. > > Middle-men such as Dunlop are emerging as the "fall-guys". But > the wealthy businessmen and politicians the tribunal was set up > to investigate remain largely untouched. > > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > > >>>>>> Change demanded at Easter rallies > > > In over fifty rallies across Ireland this weekend, tens of > thousands of nationalists demanded immediate movement from > Britain to breath new life into the peace process. > > At one of the north's largest gatherings in memory of the 1916 > rising, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams told over 10,000 people > at Derry's City Cemetery that the answer to the current impasse > must come from British Prime Minister Tony Blair. > > During the ceremony wreaths were laid at the Republican plot and > the IRA's Easter message was read out by a member of a 15-strong > colour party. > > At the cemetery the crowd heard Mr Adams say that many > republicans were detached from what the Good Friday Agreement was > all about. > > He said that Sinn Fein was all about change, bringing about that > change and bringing about an Irish Republic. > > "The question is not to Sinn Fein about guns, the question is to > Tony Blair and the British Government as to whether they have the > courage and capacity to unlock the future and to bring about a > real beginning for all the people of this island," he told > supporters. > > And he added that the only certainty for those who would try and > marginalise the Republican community was that they could only > delay that change. > > Mr Adams said that the days of "second-class citizenship were > over, done, gone". > > On the question of decommissioning, the Sinn Fein President said > he wanted to take all guns out of Irish politics. > > He said he had once been told by a journalist that the Republican > voice could not be heard over the sound of guns but now the guns > were silent and all they wanted to talk about were guns. > > In Dublin, Sinn Fein's senior negotiator Martin McGuinness told > republicans: "This farce of demanding IRA surrender must stop. If > all the guns are to be taken out of Irish politics, and that is > an honourable objective, then the only way to do it is to prove > politics work. > > "If the Good Friday agreement is to be saved then it is up to > Tony Blair and his government. Never mind the hand of history on > his shoulder - the key to the future is in his hand. > > "But if Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson continue to subject the > working of the agreement to the demands of unionism, it simply > cannot progress," he added. > > Mr McGuinness praised the IRA for maintaining their ceasefire in > a "disciplined and honourable way" in the face of what he termed > British and loyalist provocation. > > He warned suspension of the institutions had left a "dangerous > vacuum" which could mean a slide back to violence. > > "Is everything that we have worked so hard for to be squandered? > We now face the possibility that all of the good work of recent > years could be undone. > > "And worse still, the vacuum created through the absence of > politics has now emboldened the rejectionists who are only too > willing to risk a slide back into conflict," he warned. > > "The recent electoral successes that we have enjoyed throughout > the island must be built upon. The tired and worn-out parties of > the establishment are now looking over their shoulder at Sinn > Fein," he said. > > Sinn Fein chairman Mitchel McLaughlin, addressing a Easter Sunday > rally in Drumboe, County Donegal, said calls for IRA disarmament > had never succeeded in the past. > > He said: "David Trimble knows for an absolute certainty that his > approach to IRA disarmament has been a consistent failure. It is > certain to be so in the future if he persists." > > Mr McLaughlin also had harsh words for British Direct Ruler Peter > Mandelson. > > He added: "I must warn you, Peter Mandelson, do not be so > careless without hopes and aspirations. Do not be so arrogant." > > He said a united Ireland was inevitable in the "foreseeable > future" but he stressed republicans still wanted to work with > unionists. > > If Mr Trimble, the party chairman added, "would get a ready > response if he reached out in good faith". > > Over 2,000 people attended the Easter commemoration in > Carrickmore, County Tyrone. > > The rally was addressed by the Sinn Fein MLA, Mr Gerry Kelly, who > said the magnitude and discipline of the IRA ceasefire had yet > to be properly appreciated by unionists and the British > government. > > "The leadership of the IRA have again and again taken steps to > break the impasse created, not by the IRA, but by the British > government and by unionists. They have had all their efforts > thrown back into their faces," Mr Kelly said, his voice battling > against the noise of a British army helicopter hovering overhead. > > How could institutions be truly democratic if they could be > collapsed "with the stroke of a colonial pen", Mr Kelly asked. > Such an arbitrary act had brought the hopes and expectations of > people on both sides of the Border to its lowest point in many > years, he added. "The stroke of a colonial pen has overturned the > democratic wishes of the electorate north and south and has > ripped apart an international agreement. "It has not helped David > Trimble or the Ulster Unionist leadership in the long run, if > that was the intention. Worst of all, it has created a political > vacuum which could be filled by those reactionaries who do not > want to see the resolution of the conflict," Mr Kelly said. > > Meanwhile in Crossmaglen, another good turnout was told that > unionist fear of change is the real reason for the current > political stalemate in the North of Ireland. > > Bairbre de Brun, who was the Minister for Health in the suspended > Executive, said the divisions within unionism were not about the > IRA's refusal to decommission, but about whether unionists could > embrace the "real, substantial and immediate change" envisaged by > the Good Friday Agreement. > > Beyond the changes proposed by the agreement, she added, the > social, economic and demographic realities made a united Ireland > inevitable. "That's what has unsettled unionists and led to one > precondition after another." > > Addressing over a thousand people at the annual Easter > Commemoration, she said the British government had made a "huge > mistake" in following the unionists onto the ground of imposing > preconditions. > > "Ireland voted and the British government vetoed," she said. > > West Tyrone assembly member Barry McElduff addressed republicans > at the commemoration garden in the New Lodge in Belfast. > > He urged unionists to end their demands for IRA surrender, which > he described as "farcical" and "nonsensical". > > McElduff said: "I want to say to the unionist population to stop > the nonsensical argument that the IRA must be defeated and there > must be an IRA surrender. > > "They won't ever get an IRA surrender. The IRA weren't and aren't > defeated and I think the peace process needs to move away from > the farcical nonsensical ground of seeking that. > > "We were all told that we could enter the peace process with our > ideology intact. So stop all this nonsense about seeking a defeat > or surrender of the Irish republican movement because that won't > be happening - simple as that." > > Fresh from an overwhelming win in the Omagh council by-election, > Mr McElduff added: "We are presently in the business of building > political strength so that when it is called for we can relate to > the Dublin government and we can relate in the next strand of > negotiations as the largest nationalist political force in the > occupied six counties." > > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > > >>>>>> Helicopter crash may have left two British soldiers dead > > > The British army has been accused of suppressing the deaths of > two soldiers in a helicopter crash in South Armagh last month. > > A Lynx helicopter with seven soldiers and two crew members > crashed into a field just 50 yards from a house at Mullaghbawn on > the afternoon of March 2 last. > > Media reports described the helicopter incident as an emergency > landing but eye witnesses have stated that the aircraft shattered > into several pieces on impact. > > A large force of army and RUC officers, which arrived in five > helicopters, immediately sealed off a wide area to prevent > civilians from observing the scene and spent two days clearing > the debris. > > A Chinook helicopter collected the pieces of the broken > helicopter which were taken away in heavy gauge netting. > > Civilians arriving at the scene were told by British soldiers > that the debris was scattered over a wide area and that a number > of those travelling in the helicopter were seriously injured. > > However, press reports suggested that only two of the soldiers > were injured in the "emergency landing". They were described as > "minor casualties". > > "When we arrived a few hours after the crash we were told by one > soldier that we could not go near the scene as the debris was > strewn all over the place. They said that some of the soldiers > were seriously injured and others were in shock," said Toni > Carragher of the South Armagh Farmers and Residents Group. > > A local man who had access to the crash site the following > morning said that the helicopter was broken into several parts. > > "It was scattered across the field in smithereens. There is no > way that everyone travelling in that helicopter walked away from > the crash," said the man who did not wish to be identified. > > There have been a number of documented crashes of the Lynx > medium-sized helicopter which is used to ferry soldiers around > the North on hundreds of missions daily. > > Adding to the speculation that there were fatalities in the most > recent accident British newspapers two weeks later reported the > death of two British soldiers, Michael Byron and Peter Hawkins, > in Cyprus. > > The 21 year old soldiers from Birkenhead and members of the 22nd > Cheshire regiment were reported to have died when their car hit a > cement mixer on an unfinished section of motorway between > Limassol and Paphos on March 19. > > Another two soldiers were suffering from life threatening > injuries, the reports claimed. > > The report stated that the four had only arrived in Cyprus for > duty only three days previously but that they were already on > leave when the crash happened. > > It was also claimed that there was a difficulty in identifying > the men because of the intensity of the fire. > > The roadway was not open to vehicles. > > "It appears their rented car hit a cement mixer stationed on part > of the road which was not open to traffic and caught fire," a > Cypriot police spokesman told the Daily Mail. > > According to Carragher, the army practice of blaming deaths of > soldiers in the North on traffic accidents in Europe is long > established in south Armagh. > > She claims that the reason for the claim is that the British army > does not want to concede that there are serious risks to its own > personnel and civilians from unsafe helicopters. > > "Is it traditional for the British army to be given leave after > only four days on duty? Allegedly the parked vehicle they hit was > on a stretch of road not open to the public therefore there were > no eyewitnesses," Carragher said. "The reports said there was > difficulty in identifying the bodies which is also convenient to > allow time to build the Cyprus concoction." > > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > > >>>>>> Dublin to call for Hamill inquiry > > The Dublin government last night signalled its intention to push > Tony Blair for an independent public inquiry into the murder of > Catholic man Robert Hamill. > > Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is now expected to demand a new > investigation in the run-up to the third anniversary of Mr > Hamill's death on May 8. > > The father-of-three was attacked by a loyalist mob in Portadown > in front an RUC patrol van as he walked home after a night out > with friends on April 27 1997. RUC officers simply looked on as > Hamill was kicked to death. > > Mr Hamill's family last night welcomed the significant > development in their quest for justice. > > In a stern message to the British government, Mr Hamill's sister > Diane said: "As the third anniversary of Robert's murder > approaches, obviously we welcome this development. > > "We just wish the British government would show as much interest. > Tony Blair should realise that this case isn't going to disappear > and my family are no less determined now to establish the truth > than we were three years ago."' > > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > > >>>>>> Pipe bombs intended for republicans > > > Republican activists in South Down are being warned to be on their guard > after the discovery of primed pipe bombs near Castlewellan. > > Sinn Fein councillor Aiden Carlin said that three > primed bombs were found on the road between Seaforde and Clough villages on > Tuesday last week at about 3pm. > > Carlin said that an anonymous caller to the RUC warned that the bombs were, > "ready for immediate use against republicans in Castlewellan". > > "Sinn Fein is taking this threat seriously as the bombs were uncovered near > Clough which has seen a high level of loyalist activity over the past > while. Last year they were carrying out an attack on nationalists on a > monthly basis". > > Loyalists from the area were involved in the killing of 16 year old James > Morgan in July 1997. The school boy from Annsborough, on the outskirts of > Castlewellan was abducted outside Newcastle and his mutilated body was > found buried in a carcass pit near Clough. One man, Norman Coopey who went > on to the loyalist wings in the H Blocks, was convicted and given life. > > Carlin went on to criticise the RUC who phoned Sinn Fein councillor Frank > McDowell and asked him to pass on the warnings about the bombs. "It took > the RUC over two hour to tell Frank about the bombs then they asked him to > pass on the warnings", said Carlin. > > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > > >>>>>> Soldiers hamper Divis rescue > > "Outrageous," is how a spokesperson for Divis Tower Residents' > Association described the actions of British soldiers in Belfast > who delayed the rescue of a woman trapped in a lift for over an > hour. > > "A home help was visiting an elderly resident when she became > trapped in a lift," residents' spokesperson John Leatham said. > The alarm was raised immediately and a maintenance worker arrived > within 15 minutes. > > "Soldiers occupying the roof refused to allow the workman into > the lift room to carry out the repairs necessary to release the > trapped woman," said John. "The soldiers were aware that someone > was trapped in the lift but still refused access." > > The home help was left trapped for over an hour before the > British Army allowed the maintenance worker access to carry out > repairs and release the woman. > > Local Sinn Fein Councillor Fra McCann said: "The British Army is > clearly engaged in a petty campaign of intimidation and > harassment against the residents of Divis Tower. They should as a > matter of urgency remove their unwanted and unnecessary > installation." > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > > >>>>>> London Friends back Agreement > > > The London-based group, Friends of the Good Friday Agreement, > held its first major conference on 14 and 15 April at the TUC > building in central London, entitled 'Making the Good Friday > Agreement Work'. The group, founded by British Labour MPs Kevin > McNamara, Maria Fyffe and John McDonnell, called the conference > to coincide with the second anniversary of the signing of the > Agreement and invited key players from all pro-Agreement parties > in the Six Counties and the British government. Representing Sinn > Fein at the condference were Assembly members Alex Maskey and > Mitchel McLaughlin. > > In the opening plenary, Alex Maskey, referring to the broad > conference themes of inclusivity, trust and confidence, told the > audience of the problems in building trust between the > protagonists to the conflict. > > "People have to recognise that there is no trust. You can't have > 30 years of conflict and, from a nationalist and republican > perspective, many decades of unionist misrule before that and > have trust. Whatever way you look at it, there was a very > unstable society which led to a conflict. So how could you have > trust? > > "We had an agreement which brought parties into government that > had been implacably opposed to each other for many years," he > said, an agreement which has now effectively been set to one > side. One of the issues that has dogged the Agreement for the > past two years, apart from decommissioning, said Maskey, has been > "the need to facilitate David Trimble. > > "I have to say that the supposed weakness of David Trimble has > actually been a very strong negotiating tactic. This weakness -- > whether it is real or perceived I'm not sure -- has been used to > dilute the Good Friday Agreement right through the process." > > In a workshop entitled "Emergency and Criminal Justice: Who Owns > the Law?" Garvaghy Road residents' spokesperson Breandan Mac > Cionnaith and human rights activist Paul May provided an overview > of the history of emergency legislation and an update of the > situation in Portadown. The prospects for the coming marching > season were discussed, particularly in view of the British > government's recent suggestion that it may bring forward its new > human rights legislation -- due to come into force in October -- in > order to enable an Orange march down the Garvaghy Road in July. > > Mac Cionnaith told the audience that a state of emergency had in > effect operated in the Six Counties since partition because of > the draconian legislation introduced by successive British > governments, legislation which had also been systematically > abused in order to harass the nationalist community. > > "Quite clearly, in the Six Counties, the law was the property of > the unionist community," he said. "It was controlled and > implemented by a unionist police force and judicial system. With > the Good Friday Agreement, tentative steps are being taken > towards reform of the judicial system in the North, but I have to > ask; will even those tentative reforms be implemented? > > "The summary of the criminal justice review states that the > targets set out in the review are subject to the political > process. That is not how human rights are protected. Human rights > should be above and beyond whatever political structures are set > up in the North of Ireland. They should not be subject to the > political vagaries of the process. And it is also a contradiction > for the commission to set out these protections as part of their > remit, when the emergency legislation which already exists, > rather than being dismantled, is actually being reinforced [with > the new Terrorism Bill] to a more severe degree than has existed > in the last 30 years." > > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > > >>>>>> History: The Battle of Mount Street Bridge > > > Among the tales of tragic deaths during Easter week 1916 there > are has many stories of heroism and miraculous escapes, feats of > endurance and unwavering spirit. The events around the GPO in > O'Connell Street are well known and well documented. The events > in the outlining outposts dotted around Dublin and in the areas > of activities in the other counties are not as well known. The > heroic spirit of the 1916 Rising is captured in the experiences > of one man, Joe Clarke. > > On Easter Monday, after Eamonn de Valera led his contingent of > Volunteers into Boland's Bakery, a number of Volunteers were sent > out to secure the approach road from Dun Laoghaire and to stall > the anticipated British reinforcements who would disembark there > and head towards the city centre. > > The 17 Volunteers in the outposts were distributed around the > Mount Street Bridge area as follows: the Parochial Hall was held > by four Volunteers, 25 Northumberland Road had four Volunteers > initially, though two were sent home for being to young, > Clanwilliam House was occupied by seven Volunteers and there were > two Volunteers in the Schoolhouse. A female dispatcher brought > news on Wednesday of nearly 2,000 having landed in Dun Laoghaire > and that the 7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters were heading > towards them. > > The reinforcement column met its first resistance when it paused > at Carisbrook House near Jury's Hotel today. They responded to > sniper fire by riddling the house, though it didn't contain any > Volunteers. The column was thus alerted that the Volunteers were > in the area. They had gone more than 500 yards further when they > came under sustained fire from the two Volunteers in 25 > Northumberland Road. It took five hours of sustained firing to > dislodge the defenders. Ten British soldiers fell at the first > volley. Volunteers in the other outposts close by also began > picking off the attackers who were and remained exposed to their > fire. > > Finally, the house was rushed and Volunteer Lieutenant Michael > Malone was shot dead as "he coolly came down the stairs to meet > them, his pipe in his mouth". The other Volunteer in the house, > Section Commander James Grace, succeeded in secreting himself > behind a cooker and after several hours escaped from the area. He > was arrested some days later. > > While the British soldiers attacked 25 Northumberland Road, they > also moved against the Schoolhouse and the Parochial Hall. The > Volunteers in both continued a fierce firefight until flames > drove them from their stations. Sceilig (J.J. O'Kelly) describes > the scene in Dublin's Fighting Story: > > "The Parochial Hall, lying between 25 Northumberland Road and > Clanwilliam House, was held by four men: P.J. Doyle in command, > Joe Clarke, William Christian and J. McGrath. Standing well back > from the footpath on the Sherwood Foresters' line of march, it > had advantages and disadvantages. Though it afforded no view of > the advancing troops, the four defenders poured volley after > volley into them whenever they attempted to dash or to crawl past > it, thus halting them until they were shot down by the marksmen > of Clanwilliam. > > "As in the case of the more advanced post, no aid, no message > reached them from Boland's Bakery. Withal, they held out until > six o'clock on Wednesday. Having fired their last shot while > their being assailed with a very inferno of bombs, as well as > revolver and rifle fire at close range, they retreated by the > back to Percy Place. Here they were intercepted and seized by > British troops, now practically in possession of all approaches > and exits. > > "Joe Clarke, on being searched, was found in possession of his > revolver, and placed with his back to a door, hands up. With his > own revolver he was fired on, the bullet piercing the door just > above his head. > > "Immediately, the door was thrown open, an indignant doctor > rushed out, having narrowly escaped being shot as he attended one > of a yardful of wounded British soldiers; and after an almost > miraculous escape, Joe was led away, his hands bound behind his > back." > > The fight at Clanwillaim House continued as British soldiers > tried in vain to cross Mount Street Bridge: > > "The rebels poured fire into the troops with devastating effect -- > as one soldier was killed, another crawled over or around him, > only to be halted himself. The entrance to the bridge became a > mass of dead and wounded soldiers. Again and again, an officer > would step up and lead a few men in a charge over the bridge. And > again and again, they would be shot down, falling to join the > heap of bodies on the bridge." > > When eventually the house was engulfed in flames and with their > ammunition expired, the surviving four Volunteers escaped over > the back wall. When the final charge came, one officer threw a > grenade at one of the remaining intact windows; it bounced back > and exploded, killing him. > > Joe and his comrades from the other outposts were first brought > to Ladd Lane Barracks, before joining the other captured > Volunteers and later those who'd surrendered, when being > transported to British jails to serve their sentence or to be > interned. Joe was first held in Wakefield Prison, before being > transferred to Frongoch in Wales. Similar to others, who were > interned, mainly in the Frongoch Concentration Camp, Joe returned > to Ireland more resolute than ever. Though a father of three and > needing to help provide for them, he rejoined the struggle and > submerged himself in IRA activities in his native county. > > Up to 250 British soldiers were killed or wounded and their > morale shattered by the gallant band of Volunteers around Mount > Street and their advance was delayed by a day. Four Volunteers > lost their lives in the battle, which raged over the two days: > Michael Malone, Dick Murphy, George Reynolds and Patrick Doyle. > Five others escaped arrest, while four were captured, including > north County Dublin man Joe Clarke. > > Joe Clarke was to remain active for seven decades in promoting > and fighting for The Republic he declared along with the other > Volunteers in 1916 and which he fought for at the Battle of Mount > Street Bridge during the Easter Rising 84 years ago this week. > > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > > >>>>>> Analysis: The next steps > > by Des Wilson (for the Irish People) > > > If decent political parties negotiate with a British > administration again, what can they negotiate about? > > There seems little use in making an agreement with a British > administration or with British Unionists in Ireland, because they > do not keep agreements. Of course if a new agreement is made > which contains very clear and very severe penalties for not > keeping it, then a new agreement would make some sense provided > there is an international body able and willing to force the > British administration and its Irish supporters to keep their > word. > > Another approach would be to keep on demanding that the British > administration and its supporters in Ireland keep the agreement > they have already made. > > The second of these approaches has some advantages. One is that > the British administration would be forced to do its duty and > create equality and reasonably fair administration in Ireland > against the wishes of their Irish supporters. Another is -- and > this is of vital importance -- that the damage the British > administration has done to international trust and peacekeeping > would to some extent be remedied. > > From the date of the British administration's refusal to fulfil > its international obligations in Ireland, no European state can > presume that international agreements have to be kept. > > So it is in the interests not only of Ireland but of Britain and > Europe that the British administration be forced to keep that > Good Friday Agreement. Otherwise, international relations are > thrown back to the worst days of gunboat diplomacy, when a > British administration could enforce its will against all laws of > international decency by simply sending a gunboat to intimidate > the people of any country. The international community needs to > take note of what has happened in Ireland. Otherwise it can make > laws until it is red, white, and blue in the face, and a British > administration will not keep them. > > So which of the possibilities do we choose -- negotiate a new > agreement (which the British administration will not keep), or > force the British administration to keep the Irish agreement it > has already made? > > If we negotiate at all, it can be in one of two ways. One way is > to put all proposed solutions on the table, those of republicans, > nationalists, loyalists, Unionists, and others, with the London > proposals for control from London as only one of several > possibilities. Another is to negotiate only about when and how > the London administration is going to get out and stop preventing > the normal development of Ireland's northeast. > > If it were possible, the second of these would be the first > choice of democrats, but we have to remember of course that in > Mr. Blair's regime the Lloyd George threat of "immediate and > terrible war" is still there -- it hasn't gone away, you know -- > and any new agreement will have to take the risk of gunboats up > the Lough. > > > > > > > > c. RM Distribution and others. Articles may be reprinted with credit. > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > RM Distribution > Irish Republican News and Information > http://irlnet.com/rmlist/ > > PO Box 160, Galway, Ireland Phone/Fax: (353)1-6335113 > PO Box 8630, Austin TX 78713, USA mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > > > RMD1000425133714p1 >
