When it was established in 1922, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was given draconian powers by the Orange-Unionist government to deal with those suspected as enemies of the state. A serving minister from South Africa envied the legal powers given to the RUC.
I am sure there are many stories that could be told about the activities of the RUC in intimidating and harassing citizens in the six counties who were suspected of being disloyal and subversive.
One story from the 1960s that comes to mind is about the RUC based in Kesh in my own native parish of Ederney in north Fermanagh. The most noteworthy event connected with the parish occurred in May 1868 in London when a man by the name of Michael Barrett was executed after he was found guilty of causing an explosion at Clerkenwell jail during the Fenian Rising.
Michael was a native of my own native parish of Ederney also known as Culmaine. He emigrated to Glasgow around 1850 where he became associated with the Fenian movement. In 1867, Michael Barrett was arrested in Glasgow and accused of causing the explosion at Clerkenwell prison in London. He had absolutely nothing to do with it.
Throughout the trial Michael protested his innocence. It became clear during the trial that he had been named as the man responsible for Clerkenwell by a British agent from Dublin. Michael presented alibis from Glasgow who swore that he was in Glasgow when the explosion at Clerkenwell took place. However, the Judge found him guilty and sentenced him to death by hanging.
Michael made a speech from the Dock before being taken to his cell. His was the last public hanging in England. A crowd of several thousand gathered at Newgate for the gruesome spectacle. Public hangings were abolished a few days later.
On the one hundred anniversary of his execution on 26 May 1968, the well- known local politician, Cahir Healy, wrote an article about Michael in the Fermanagh Herald. By this time, most people, apart from his immediate family, had forgotten all about him- though his first name was sometimes used to describe nationalists or Fenians as ‘Micks’.
At the end of his article in the Fermanagh Herald in 1968, Cahir Healy referred to Michael’s nearest relatives who were still living in the house in which he was born in a townland near Montiagh -a few miles from the village of Kesh. The week after the article about Michael Barrett was published in 1968, the RUC from Kesh barracks arrived at the house and searched it inside and out.
About 40 years later, around the year 2000, I began to research Michael’s story. I went to this family to see if they could provide me with any more information about Michael. The family refused to talk about Michael. “Not after what the RUC did to us the last time we spoke about him to Cahir Healy!” The intimidation worked.
In 1968, some months after the article about Michael Barret appeared in the Fermanagh Herald, the Civil Rights campaign demanding fair play began in the six counties.
The northern statelet was exposed as corrupt, intolerant and sectarian. The RUC continued to behave as a paramilitary force within the state –engaging in murderous activity against people they considered ‘enemies of the state’. It took many more years and much pain and suffering to bring about an end to the RUC and the intimidation of the Catholic working class.
On 17th May 1973, my first cousin Michael Leonard was shot dead by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) – not too far from the village of Kesh.
The RUC was abolished in 1998 as part of the Good Friday Agreement. They were replaced by the Police Service of NI (PSNI).
Will they be any better? The jury is out.
No the psni is no better
Definitely not any better.