Sometimes it’s hard to focus, such is the variety of issues nibbling at your ankles for attention. For example, today marks the official birthday of Elizabeth II. She is clearly a much-loved figure in British life, despite particular events like the death of Princess Di and general facts like the way she got her job because of who her father was. Or there’s the Euros, kicking off today as Belfast, a city in which half or more of the citizens will be yelling for the Republic of Ireland, is adorned with heroic images of the Northern Ireland football team.
But beyond and above both those outstanding matters is the report on the killing of six people in a Loughinisland pub twenty-two years ago. The fact that they were watching a World Cup game between the Republic of Ireland and Italy adds poignancy of those deaths. The report makes many critical points regarding the investigation of what happened, but let’s limit ourselves to a few
- There was no prior knowledge that the attack was going to happen. Perhaps not. However, given that one of the attackers was a police informer, doesn’t it seem odd that word wouldn’t have filtered through to his handlers? And that having filtered through to his handlers, it wouldn’t have filtered through to members of the non-Special Branch of the RUC? What’s the point in an informer if he doesn’t inform you about something as massive as this and instead engages directly in it?
- “The report makes clear that those responsible for the carnage at Loughinisland were the terrorists who planned and carried it out”. This is true and also has a familiar ring. Bloody Sunday, anyone? The trail of responsibility for those killings, many believe, was deliberately stopped at a relatively lower level of command, so that those in ultimate control could go on occupying the moral high ground. Yes, the savages who killed the six in Loughinisland are responsible for their actions. But since a police informer was among the gunmen, is this another case of stopping responsibility before it creeps up and does real damage?
- Senior loyalists who were police informers helped smuggle in an arsenal of weapons which were used in the killing of at least seventy people. Again, what kind of informer doesn’t tell his handler about this kind of arms-smuggling? Frankly, it seems impossible. If it is, then the men paid to protect the public colluded in the slaughter of the public – no, sorry, make that one section of that public.
- All of twenty-four hours before members of the gang were to be arrested, they got a tip-off from within the RUC. So we had one part of the RUC intent on bringing the killers to justice, another section intent on protecting them. Is it possible that such difference in loyalties could exist within the RUC without just about everyone in the police force knowing about it? And if they did, why didn’t they blow the whistle?
- What kept you? It’s twenty-two years since this happened. Since then, there’ve been repeated attempts to cover up and lie, anything to get the truth from emerging. Will those who produced phony reports now be brought to justice?
- Is Loughinisland unique? Each violent death is unique, just as every human being is unique. But there are dozens upon dozens of cases where grieving relatives are convinced that they too are the victims of collusion and cover-up. If you’re truly horrified over Loughinisland, you should be more than horrified that similar lawlessness by the forces of law and order may well have occurred again and again.
- Why do I feel that this is bleak black comedy, where the ‘security’ forces are involved in slaughter and that involvement is eventually, after years, dragged out from a sewer of lies and cover-up – and then the solution is to give the victims an apology? Your loved ones were killed by the forces of law and order? We’re sorry to hear that – here’s an apology. All right now?
We knew this at the time. Everyone knew what the RUC and UDR were about. The US had a ban on selling firearms to the RUC, they knew what the RUC were all about.
Successive British governments fully aware of the dual memberships of their security forces ploughed ahead with the policy of ulsterisation. They had to know what the consequences of that policy would entail.
Geoge Hamilton must have been the only man in Ireland ‘shocked’ at yesterday’s report. I can only assume for all those years he was in the RUC he stood about with his eyes closed and fingers placed firmly in his ears.
Since Ulster Resistance was borne from DUP and Wilson and Robinson were shown as being leaders, they at the top table, one would have they should have been asked for comments about UR’s still missing arms cache. BBC seems to have forgotten that link
The weapons imported by Ulster Resistance has been known to be used in at least 100 murders….I believe one DUP MLA’s father was heavily involved in importing those weapons.
why do you support such a force when nothings changed,
Does a mountie always gets his man?
In the wake of the Hillsborough disaster, Theresa May stated:
“No-one should have to fight year after year, decade after decade, in search of the truth…”
In the wake of the Hillsborough disaster, she added that potential charges could include gross negligence, manslaughter, misconduct in public office, perverting the course of justice and perjury.
Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham blasted “collusion” between the police and a “complicit print media” which continued in the Warrington courtroom.
The Secretary of State regularly hides behind national security issues in order to prevent families ascertaining information in relation to controversial killings in the north of Ireland. She continues to suggest that such information could be of use to person or persons unknown in the Middle East. In the wake of the Ombudsman’s findings in relation to events at Loughinisland, it is clear that person or persons unknown closer to home continue to be protected in spite of deaths and the perversion of the course of justice, yet Al Hutchinson ruled out RUC collusion in his report in 2011.
Anyone know what Al Hutchinson is up to these days, or has he commented on this report?
He seems to have slipped off the radar, no doubt with a handsome pension pot.
I guess being a yes man for the state probably pays off.
Jim molyneaux encapsulated the whole thing when he remarked that an IRA ceasefire could undermine unionism. It suited the Brits and unionists to keep the bloody conflict going. Loyalist paramilitaries were helped, guarded manned by members of what should have been protecting forces. Instead they unleashed vile murderous and indiscriminate sectarianism in order that the status quo be upheld. Unionists now need to show some bit of leadership and own up to the fact that the state to which they adhere has been a monumental sectarian failure and has only existed at the point of a gun. Don’t hold your breath however…..
Ciaran – Molyneaux might have been of the opinion that an IRA ceasefire would undermine unionism, but he was wrong in my opinion. Unionism has never been stronger then it is at the moment, so there is no reason Unionists should own up to anything (apart from the moral imperative, which never meant much to them anyway).
The six county state may well have been formed at the point of a gun, and maintained that way for decades, but that stage of it is over and they are now maintaining it by continuing the Ulsterisation process, which is being hugely successful for them.
It is difficult to say, but nationalists have been totally outflanked in the propaganda wars. When the bombing of school children at Holy Cross did not bring the media hordes down on Unionists / Loyalists, they had a green light for everything. Now we have a report that effectively says that the British state killed six Irish people, and a relatively small core are concerned, but the vast majority are not.
Why Sinn Fein are pressing ahead in their call for a border poll, I have no idea. It would set back the cause of a United Ireland by a century. Nationalism needs a new grouping that can articulate the nationalist cause, cultural and political, and do it without the baggage of Sinn Fein and the lack of effectiveness of the SDLP.
What the 1916 commemorations have thought us is that it is emotion and emotive events that create political change. Unionists have their flag protests and their faux outrage etc. Nationalist’s just have Martin McGuiness attending another WW1 event – which is just old hat now. A new way is needed, because the current way is spectacularly not working….
Very well put John T, it is time a knew strategy was employed. Nationalism has gone backwards and seems to be assuming the underdog role in certain ways. The hard headedness of unionism has been given a shot in the arm by the intransigent and intractable Foster. The perfect face of todays unionism. Unreciprocated gestures ring hollow and Sinn Fein and nationalism in general have tolerated it for far too long. But if a change of tack is taken, watch how the media come down like a ton of bricks. No help from Dublin, an equidistant Westminster and unrelenting, unreciprocating, intransigent unionists. Oh what a lucky lot we are. Their “wee country” was built on that and is still maintained by these attitudes John T. And while the guns may now be silent they are still allowed to stomp their feet, throw toys out of the pram and yell to get their way. Yes, a tougher approach from nationalism, but where is that coming from? Rogues and renegades?
here’s a view of a new grassroots approach – don’t know if it could be considered “tougher” but it might be effective
https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/building-the-irish-republic/
I think a new way out might be looking at trying to get One of the 6 Counties out of the “union”.. I’d say Tyrone might be the best prospect.
If this happened and even better if say Tyrone, Derry and Fermanagh were to join with the 26 Counties.
I would then tear up the GFA
And just allow the Brits a “Hong Kong” style solution whereby they would be granted a lease of say 15 years on the rest,
This would prevent Nationalists in Belfast feeling betrayed And would give unionists also time to adjust.
Not to mention it would show how unionists in Tyrone would be treated in the Free State.
This would be an opportunity to Nationalist Ireland to show good faith
Whilst giving Unionism a known objective.
Surprised something like this isn’t attempted.
Feel very sorry for the families jude.
Indeed. Jim.
Jude,
‘Your loved ones were killed by the forces of law and order? We’re sorry to hear that – here’s an apology. All right now?’
So why are Sinn Fein sitting on the RUC Policing Board with these facilitators.
The same RUC Chief Constable who blocks every attempt to get to the truth.
‘Another coffee Gerry?’
Firstly, surely the term ‘security forces’ is an insult to the victims and their families, so why do media and pundits persist on using it?
Perhaps Jude the next time you get the opportunity on radio/t.v. you could highlight the complete irony of the term.
Secondly, it made me angry to see the SDLP being outraged and calling for apologies etc when for years they promoted the RUC in my community and encouraged nationalists to co-operate and give information on Republicans to them!
When I and other Republicans were involved in protests etc highlighting state collusion the SDLP were legitimising, or should I say collaborating, with the very same RUC force as well as the British government who were implementing the policy of murdering their own citizens.
They have some brass neck but I and many others don’t forget.
Alex – I may neer be on radio/TV again…I wouldn’t say I was an SDLP supporter but I think it probably was reasonable that lots of Catholics/Nationalists, except when confronted in the own lives with the reality, wanted to believe and did believe that the forces of ‘law and order’ were there to protect us all, and the danger was the paramilitaries, loyalist and republican. I think that probably is the case even now: the ‘few bad apples’ narrative is a powerful one and deeply planted.
Jude, I would posit that those SDLP supporters who believed that the RUC were there to protect us were not dog lovers!
Had they owned dogs (in the street), they could have been better informed as to the fact that the 95% Protestant/loyalist RUC were there to protect their own people.
As far as Sinn Fein sitting on the policing board is concerned, it is now time they became much more assertive in their attitudes, and stopped being the whipping boys for unionists.
“They have some brass neck but I and many others don’t forget.”
Absolutely right Alex, we should never forget.
sdlp werent on their own,who stood shoulder to shoulder with the leader of ulster resistance and the ruc man on the steps of stormont and called on people to inform,glass houses n stones come to mind.
Too true Alex. I wouldn’t be quick to blame SDLP supporters for believing the narrative back then. Rather seamus Mallon etc played the ‘bad apples’ line too, along with the Catholic Church. They are intelligent people but they refused to speak out truthfully but rather sought meetings with the chief constable etc to discuss concerns etc.
Like most folk, they take their lead from the politicians they supported, so like the British state, the church, free state and SDLP were all agreed that irish republicanism had to be stopped. They played along with the plan, knowingly or unknowingly, that any violence had to blamed on the IRA whether they done it or not. The plan to make nationalists turn in on the IRA had many willing participants on the nationalist side.
Unfortunately the excuse being put forward is that the terrorist state forces provided collusion to ‘protect informers’. The state is still denying it was state policy. We all know it, some just excuse it. The state were involved in a policy to strike terror into the nationalist community entirely in an effort to force them to pressurise the IRA to cease their war.
Gio,M.T et al will excuse it as rogue officers etc and lament what about the IRA revealing their secrets. But the point is, the state claims to be the law I.e the good guys. They claim they are not the equivalent of the IRA. If so surely it would have been proper and honest to hit these ‘rogue officers’ hard to demonstrate their absolute disgust at these officiers’ actions? If they would only come clean and state they were in a war with the IRA then all these cases probably wouldn’t be needed. Maintaining the lie if being ‘peacekeepers’ matters a lot it seems.
“If they would only come clean and state they were in a war with the IRA then all these cases probably wouldn’t be needed.”
Many citizens here server many, many years in prison. Yet there is evidence now that there is no crime to pay by these handlers as there was no definition of what was and was not permitted.
This means the MRF were in fact permitted to operate with lawful immunity.
If the state refuse to acknowledge this was fact in spite of more and more evidence coming forward that it happened, then we must eek justice and convictions from those involved.
The MRF and FRU need to e investigated fully in an independent international inquiry if the state refuses to come clean willingly.
Perhaps after the brexit souring relations with the EU, the EU may be more willing in light of new evidence to put more pressure on Britain to come clean. Dublin needs to take sides here. Is it ok for Britain to hide its past while the southern state media threw everything but the kitchen sink at scrutinising republicans.
Lets see how fair the southern state and its media really are on this also.
wolfie
I have so far made no comment about this story at all. Its great that you know what people are going to say.
It was a tragic brutal slaughter like so many others, a complete waste of life.
I do not know if it was rogue officers or not and I suggest you don’t either.
I hope the full truth comes out in time, though proper justice is unlikely as in so many other tragic cases.
Gio, it’s what you don’t say that is deafening.
wolfie
What did I leave out?
They were brutal murders, there is evidence of collusion by members of the security forces, which is appalling.
I hope the whole truth is brought into the open.
Beyond that you are just speculating.
I’m afraid that I am honestly one of those cynics who really do believe we are living through a black comedy. What else can explain even the way the information trickles out like some clockwork sequence of events. Each week brings a swing of the pendulum. Mere days ago the news was all about the murders of a van full of specifically Protestant men by a supposedly Irish nationalist armed group…which apparently had at least one killer speaking with an English accent, to further muddy the waters .One Catholic man was excluded from the horror and told to run away; the rest were executed for being Protestants.
Now ,as if to balance the book it is the murder of a group of Catholic men watching a football match in a pub that consumes us . This time the see- saw comes down on a loyalist terror group in cahoots with the security forces, who were supposed to parlay the law dispassionately and fairly , but were actually working as an outreach for terrorism.
In both these cases the victims seemed to be completely innocent men at war with no one.
Now it’s not as if anyone with a brain didn’t know that this kind of madness had always been the back story to the Troubles ….right back to the B-Men backing up the mad Paisleyites against Civil Rights marchers and gunning down innocent men on the streets. There was no notion of arresting someone and giving him a fair trial. It was shoot out the rubber/plastic bullets and CS gas and if that fails gun down a few pilgrims .Everyone of any political persuasion surely knew that, eh? Mind you the Chief Constables always had some very odd ideas about fantasy and reality.It was an almost completely unionist “force ” (note that word!)…after all. You only have to ask yourself why the RUC was re-branded when the whole caboodle came to a head. Hardly surprising then when the current Chief Constable appears to be shocked at this latest news of collusion between some of his men and loyalist/unionist terrorists . He must be the only one in Norneverland who is surprised. These are the same people whose families and relations shared the same political philosophy after all.
Anyway keep your eyes and ears peeled for next week’s revelations when the see-saw comes down on some evil that emitted from the nationalist community …to balance the book.It’ll be their turn to get a good kicking so that the unionist community can feel better about themselves after this week’s “revelations”. How could you not be cynical when you can so easily see through the game that is being played out . The game is to wait long enough so that everyone involved in misdeeds in the higher echelons of government or the security forces is either demented or dead and beyond the reach of culpability or revenge.
“Hardly surprising then when the current Chief Constable appears to be shocked at this latest news of collusion between some of his men and loyalist/unionist terrorists .”
That is the bit that I laugh at Harry.
The RUC and any police service before them were always a unionist and sectarian enforcement group at best with many members also in loyalist paramilitaries.
I worked for 11 years in a factory in portadown and talked to many loyalists who told me they had to go through the police and army reserves for weapons training before joining.
The police didn’t even try to hide it from us when I was growing up. I have been beaten with their guns, humiliated for no good reason and watched them baton the heads of my friends on the garvaghy road along with insults. Yes, it has completely transformed since then and I believe we do have a police service today but the history of the RUC has been rewritten but they were never an impartial police force before the post GFA reforms and some would say the conversion process is still not complete.
Not until the evidence is released and the truth is out there.
To have confirmation today in this report that collusion took place but then at the same time say there will be no convictions because the state has locked down the evidence and wont reveal the identities of the people involved and therefore is insufficient for prosecution is not on.
I am sick of upstarts like MT telling us this sort of thing never happened or was rare.
Many of us witnessed it daily for years if not decades.
This evidence has to be released.
I wonder will this be enough for Dublin to support its citizens in the north who lived through it.
No Jessica it will not because Dublin is afraid of upsetting its cosy little love in with London.
yes it has completely transformed from then……….
painting a couple of jeeps white transformed nothing
“some would say the conversion process is still not complete”
It is still not complete Jessica. Unionism fiercely opposed the 50/50 recruitment to get more Catholics into the PSNI. The Orange Order always encouraged their members to join the UDR/RUC in order to get a wage and keep the “Papists” in line. This is the same Orange Order full to the brim with UVF/UDA members.
The Chief Constable already said he thinks 50/50 recruitment should be brought in again because Catholics are still only 30% of the PSNI despite Catholics soon being 50% or more of the population and Protestants declining to below 45% of the population in time.
“I am sick of upstarts like MT telling us this sort of thing never happened or was rare”
Why are you sick of it? The reality is the likes of MT support collusion, I know he will most likely deny it but its the truth. Most Unionists always condemn Loyalist paramilitary actions but end it of with a “but”. The reality is condemnation means nothing and is very often false when it comes to Unionists. Unionists were still voting en mass for Unionist politicians who were openly Anti-Catholic, War Mongering and who were walking side by side with known Loyalist terrorist commanders for decades. Compare this to SF who didn’t get major Catholic support until after the GFA and when they endorsed peace, before this the SDLP were always the giant in Nationalism.
Don’t be surprised by this Jessica, just open your eyes to reality. Don’t be fooled by token condemnations. I’m not saying all Unionists support Loyalist paramilitaries or Collusion but I think its fair to say most do support it privately.
whys none of these 50/50 per cent gang you call catholic who took the 20 pieces of silver not live in catholic areas.
“Had they owned dogs (in the street), they could have been better informed as to the fact that the 95% Protestant/loyalist RUC were there to protect their own people.”
A difficulty for that theory is the fact that the police were more successful in bringing loyalists to justice than they were republicans.
I’d like to see the evidence of that, MT…
“I’d like to see the evidence of that, MT…”
It’s in Steve Bruce’s The Red Hand. Also referenced in da Silva report.
“Why are you sick of it? The reality is the likes of MT support ——–, I know he will most likely deny it but its the truth”
Jude, are you content to allow this comment to stand?
It is a vile lie, all the more incredible since it is made by a contributor who himself supports —– (though only those —— carried out by nationalist groupings).
I oppose all ——-, no matter by whom they are or were carried out.
No, I’ve only now seen it and I agree – you can’t accuse people of things that you just feel are the case, Ryan. Mind you, you don’t strengthen your case by calling the other person something pretty vile, MT. I’ll edit both now.
As the contributors on the biggest show in the six counties said this morning – it was an .attack by the british colonial forces on the Irish people using terror to show the natives where their proper place was. Much wringing of hands and professions of grief for crimes safely in the past in the six counties while they continue their disgusting behaviour in other parts of the world at the present time. Soon all the troublesome relatives will be gone and what is sickenly called normality here can continue.
“it was an .attack by the british colonial forces on the Irish people using terror to show the natives where their proper place was..”
Incredible that people draw conclusions such as this from a report that expressly concluded otherwise!
paddykool, & fiosrach nails on head again…………….
Have some pity for our poor innocent ‘shocked’ Chief Constable George Hamilton, who has just found out what went on in Loughinisland!
But then was he not a Special Branch man before his promotion to CC? Virtually all the skulduggery and murder plots were hatched by that vile cadre, ably assisted by MI5 and other British dirty tricks departments.
That was most likely he tried to block, day by day, the efforts by Dr Maguire to try to find some truths about those disgraceful days.
Should George not now be charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice?
We are told there were no rules governing the handling of informers. But this was not an oversight – this was deliberate policy so nobody at the top could be blamed.
The impression is given that ‘collusion’ is somehow something passive – it is government policy, and the collusion is directed by Special Branch and MI5, so that Catholics/republicans could be killed and no one would ever be apprehended.
The bigoted RUC received the George Cross for their actions during the troubles – that being so this British award is dripping with the blood of innocent people, and at the very least it should be withdrawn, and the Special Branch should be disbanded.
Of course the last time there were talks about disbanding these SB gangsters, we had the Northern Bank robbery, so those talks suddenly stopped.
Coincidence – I wonder!
Could someone remind me who was the Chief Constable and Head of Special Branch at the time of Loughinisland? How did they fare in their careers after this Collusion?
Maybe this report is “the Barron Report:” for slow learners. The Barron report talks extensively about the Glennane Gang, Mitchells farm, The Jackal.etc. Security forces were hand in glove with loyalist groups. The Loughinisland massacre is similar to many events where security forces were ‘dug in’around an area only to have a murder or attempted murder occur under their noses, Bernadette Devlin, Rosemary Mallon come to mind. Glennane, Brian Nelson, Robin Jackson just three names among who knows how many who were allowed/directed to kill by the ‘forces of law and order’ This brings up another point, it seems very curious to me that so many PIRA units were ambushed while on service with no attempts to make arrests. How many loyalists were killed on active service by security. During an attempt on Gerry Adams life, both loyalists were arrested, not shot dead as they lay on the ground.
Paul, the last time that claim was levelled at the state I.e no loyalists seemed to be killed on ‘active service’ in comparison to it being a regular occurrence with republicans, they went out and ambushed Brian Robinson to prove the claim as untrue. A sacrificial lamb if ever there as one.
WT, Robinson is one of the only ones I can think of who was killed. Two sets of rules but thgen the RUC can’t be expected to kill their friends
” During an attempt on Gerry Adams life, both loyalists were arrested”
Paul, the Loyalist who tried to kill Gerry Adams was called “Grug”. One of the “security force” officers that tailed him and then arrested him after the attempt on Gerry’s life was Grugs childhood school friend, they were at the same secondary school together. Coincidence? lol
After Gerry Adams survived the attempt on his life, it was said the RUC complained, COMPLAINED, about the very low professionalism of Loyalist paramilitaries. Grug had even shot his own friend in the arm when he was pointing the gun out the window to fire at the car Gerry Adams was in….
The reality is the RUC/UDR tailed Grug long enough and waited till he made his attempt to kill Gerry Adams and then arrested him. This was the RUC/UDR trying to give the impression they tried to save Gerry’s life and therefore there couldn’t be collusion. The reality is they wanted Grug to murder Gerry and then arrest him. They did similar in the case of Bernadette Devlin. When questions were being raised about why only Republicans were being killed by the “security forces” and not Loyalists, the state then decided to set up and kill Loyalist Brian Robinson. Again they waited till Robinson murdered Catholic civilian Paddy McKenna and THEN acted. McKenna could have been saved but he was just another Catholic civilian set up to be murdered by the state.
I have heard the same as you stated. J Gregg was appreended, not executed after he made the attempt on Gerry Adams Contrast that with the two men who were executed on the grounds og Gransha Hospital, William Fleming and danny Doherty. No attempt to arrest them. Just riddled them.
This is one event that I’m sure our First Minister would would definitely like to rewrite.
Wasn’t her father was a member of that gallant band of men known as the RUC ? I heard Jeffrey on radio today, squirming and trying to peddle the ” few bad apples” line. Will he now campaign
to get compensation from South Africa for the Loughinisland relatives just as he invested
a lot of time and effort in seeking compensation from the Libyan govt. for loyalist victims ?
Me thinks not !
Excellent article as ever – and some powerful posts from your regular contributors. I don’t think that anyone is surprised by the conclusions of the report or the patent denial in the unionist establishment, but what I find most shocking and disturbing – as a resident of Dublin – is that the significance of these events is buried in the anonymity of the middle pages of the main daily newspapers in this State. The contrast to the profile of victims of republican violence is laid bare. The inferences contained in such selective attitudes to the victims of political violence is stark indeed.
“as a resident of Dublin – is that the significance of these events is buried in the anonymity of the middle pages of the main daily newspapers in this State”
Joe, the attitude espoused in the south through their media outlets and the establishment parties including Fianna Fail during the recent election were heart-breaking.
I honestly could not take another period of such blatant abuse and bias, and I do not recall a period during the troubles when I felt so low. The damage done to the relationship between northern nationalists and the southern state is great and should not be underestimated ,the desire for reunification with the south has never been so low.
I want to be free of British rule as much as I ever have done, but I could not say for sure I would vote today to unite with Dublin. I have lost all respect for the republic of Ireland which no longer means very much to me.
As far as I am concerned, I do not have a country and while it is not what I would want, I have after a short period of despair learned to accept that and I can indeed live with that.
We have two fucked up and pathetic little statelets managing our affairs selfishly and independently and neither are worthy to represent the good people of this island.
Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do about it.
Jessica, I couldn’t agree with you more. Regrettably, I am one of an increasingly small number of republicans who also feels disillusioned even dispossessed in the southern state. You are quite right to pinpoint the negative role of Fianna Fáil under Micheál Martin in terms of relations between northern nationalists and the southern state. The text below is something I wrote around the time of Martin’s meeting with Mairia Cahill in Leinster House about 18 months ago. Some of the content may be superseded.
“Micheal Martin states that “Sinn Féin remains unfit for participation in a democratic republican government”. Of course Martin knows this to be completely untrue. Sinn Féin has been in government in the North for 15 years. Does Micheal Martin wish to tear up the terms of the Good Friday Agreement because Sinn Féin is on the brink of surpassing Fianna Fáil in electoral terms?
Martin’s tenure as leader of Fianna Fáil has been disastrous for relations between northern and southern nationalists. It is bad enough for northern nationalists to have been largely rejected by the Free State / southern state for the best part of a century but for the southern establishment to systematically attack the leaders of the largest northern nationalist party in such a sustained manner using information that was common knowledge prior to the signing of the GFA is hypocritical in the extreme. Tragic incidents such as the death of Jean McConville, the existence of kangaroo courts, punishment attacks on criminals and the execution of child abusers were publically known prior to 1998. The obvious extrapolation of Martin’s comments is that the majority of Northern nationalists vote for a party that is “unfit for office” and are therefore somehow diminished as human beings. It is perhaps not surprising that Fine Gael and “liberal” “progressive” parties and their colleagues in the media resort to these measures but some would have naively expected more from Fianna Fáil.
Fianna Fáil has a chequered history in addressing partition. From decades of lip service to reunification to interment and execution of IRA prisoners to “not standing by” at the offset of the “Troubles” to splits in the party over arming nationalists to the sterling contributions of Haughey, Reynolds and Ahern to the Peace Process. Reynolds famously asked “Who is afraid of peace?” It seems that one of his successors as leader of the party has struggled to deal with the consequence of the peace.
The leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, James Molyneaux, described the IRA ceasefire of 1994 as one of the most destabilising events since partition. That instability was not just confined to the northern establishment.
It must indeed be humbling to be in the presence of a victim of IRA violence – or indeed loyalist or British state violence – but it was humbling to be in the presence of such victims in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s as well – so what has changed?
A disturbing and somewhat unpredictable consequence of Sinn Féin’s electoral success in the south has been the shift in the political and media establishment position over the past 20 years from welcoming Sinn Féin into the democratic process to attempting to exclude them from it. This strategy has been implemented by a process of demonising the Sinn Féin leadership by direct association with a litany of IRA atrocities committed both during the height and at the tail end of the “Troubles”
.
Media coverage has focused almost exclusively on IRA violence. It is as if loyalist and British Army violence never occurred and the political context was non-existent. The name of Jean McConville is rightly burned into the consciousness of the Irish people, but the name of Joan Connolly, a mother of six, shot dead by the British Army in Ballymurphy around the same time is not. Fianna Fáil under Martin has been at the forefront of this demonisation process. And he has the gall to say that Sinn Féin is re-writing history!
This strategy is both short-sighted – it won’t result in the electorate turning away from Sinn Féin – and it is potentially counter-productive in a dangerous manner– the northern assembly is deeply dysfunctional and unionists need little excuse to pull the plug if it suits their agenda. Martin, by deeming Sinn Féin unfit for government in a State where the IRA killed 11 members of the Gardaí / Army, has given the unionists the perfect pretext in a State where republican paramilitaries killed 1080 members of the security forces and 723 civilians….and who could blame them?
We are a long way from the days of Fianna Fáil exploring the option of organising politically in the North. Given their electoral meltdown, it might be more prudent for Fianna Fáil to start organising first in the east, or in the west – it is little more than a Munster party these days.
Of course Martin’s comments are also for internal consumption. There are many in his party who are clearly uneasy at his strategy of demonising Sinn Féin and its effects on north-south relations.
Martin would do well to remember that emergence from armed conflict into constitutional politics is a time-consuming and non-linear process. In 1919 at Soloheadbeg Dan Breen shot dead two unarmed RIC men in cold blood. In 1932 he was a government TD representing Fianna Fáil. This intervening period was 13 years. The Good Friday Agreement was signed 17 years ago.
Fianna Fail have already destroyed the economy of the 26-county state. I sincerely hope that in their desperation to avoid political oblivion they do not get the opportunity to destroy the solidarity of republican-minded people north and south of the border in the 32 counties.
US Senator Edward Kennedy said that for a political party to behave like a mainstream political party it must be treated like one. Michéal Martin would do well to reflect on those words if his intention is to bring about political harmony across the 32 Counties and not drag his party into a retrograde petty point-scoring tussle with Sinn Féin for electoral reasons. The stability of the northern state is more important than the outcome of the next general election in this state.”
“Fianna Fail have already destroyed the economy of the 26-county state. I sincerely hope that in their desperation to avoid political oblivion they do not get the opportunity to destroy the solidarity of republican-minded people north and south of the border in the 32 counties.”
I am sorry to tell you Joe, but at least in my own county of Armagh, the damage has already been done.
I can honestly say I don’t give a damn about the ROI, I honestly don’t think I could vote for unification tomorrow, and just about every long term Sinn Fein supporter I know, many are now ex supporters but all have the same attitude towards unity. The scoff and consider it a load of crap because the majority of people in the south don’t give a damn and many now call us British or foreigners.
Too little too late im afraid.
We wont be expecting any support from south of the border any time soon.
I was reading the Irish News in a café this morning whilst enjoying a six county fry, and there certainly seemed to be extensive coverage in there of the Police Ombudsman’s report. I haven’t seen copies of either the BelTel or the Newsletter yet today, although I wonder if their coverage of such a huge ‘local’ story is equally as comprehensive?
I flicked through the Newsletter purposely (I didn’t buy it by the way) to see what they were saying.
The headline inside was “Now when are they going to investigate Sinn Féin/IRA collusion”.
You couldn’t make it up as they say.
Jude, the most glaring thing in all of this, and one which no journalist has yet pointed out despite it being the Elephant in the room, is the fact that Ulster Resistance imported guns from South Africa which was used at Loughinisland. Who set up Ulster Resistance? Oh yes, the DUP. Why aren’t the DUP being questioned about this? Why is every journalist not even mentioning them? We see how Sinn Fein is dragged through the mud due to the PIRA, what makes the DUP so special? Or the UUP for that matter? Gusty Spence made extremely serious allegations that he was PAID by the Unionist Government to, I quote, “Start a sectarian war”.
The report yesterday was a half truth and I hope the families of those murdered at Loughinisland realize that. We keep hearing words like the “failings” or “missed opportunities” of the RUC as if they accidently messed up. They didn’t, they deliberately destroyed evidence and of course they knew beforehand about Loughinisland and many other murders and atrocities carried out by Loyalist terrorists and supported and aided in those murders. You don’t have to pull the trigger to be guilty of murder.
The reality is the British Government, British Army, UVF, UDA and political Unionism all worked together during the troubles and they still do today. Theresa Villiers was very quick to come out yesterday, not to offer an apology, but to DEFEND the “security forces”. We know collusion ran right to the top in the British Government, from sanctioning the murder of Pat Finucane to authorizing the torture of the hooded men as found by RTE. Danny Morrison said the British Government will sooner or later back an amnesty because the paper trail is going to lead back to No.10 Downing Street.
I always remember the report done in, I think, 2003 that found out of 300 UDA men questioned, 297 of them were working for the British state as agents. That’s literally 99%. I showed this article to Danny Morrison on twitter and he replied: “I’m surprised it was that few…”. Indeed…….
the reality is the british government.british army.uvf.uda.and political unionism all worked together during the troubles and they still do today………….any reason you left the peelers out.
A mistake Billy! certainly not deliberate, of course the RUC did and sinister elements in the PSNI still do, as the arrest of Gerry Adams and other Sinn Fein figures showed, despite not a single scrap of evidence being put before them to justify any arrest……
“as the arrest of Gerry Adams and other Sinn Fein figures showed, despite not a single scrap of evidence being put before them to justify any arrest…”
That’s simply untrue.
It was reported this morning , Esteemed Blogmeister, that Mr. B. Obama will not be attending the funeral of Muhammad Ali today. It is also reported that Mr. E. Kenny will be meeting with the British PM on the Mainland in the next few days on matters to do with Brexit.
At first glance these two news items might well appear as different as, say, Chuck Berry is from Huckleberry Hound.
However.
The reason given for Mr. Obama’s non-attendance is on account of a far more pressing engagement – he is already down to grace the graduation from High School of his daughter:
– All hail ! Homecoming Queen Malia !
This decision might indicate a rather peculiar sense of priorities, but on mature reflection, (duration: four nanny seconds ) this will be revealed to be not the case, at all, at all.
After all said Mr. Obama will still have to live with ex-President Michelle once he hands back the key to the White House. There is only so much, erm, barracking a fellow can take in the privacy of his own domestic arrangements.
And this where the two news stories intersect. It is a truth universally acknowledged down here south of the Black Sow’s Dyke (due entirely to the sloe gin work of the Blue Blouse Spin Doctorate) that as soon as President Michelle Obama and Prime Minister Fionnuala Kenny first met it was boxing gloves off at first sight even as they instantly bonded.
Since then, they have always been, in that peculiarly joyous female way, there for each other,.
So, the question is begged: will Enda end up on the Mainland or will he not? Or, even if he does, which Enda will turn up ?
It’s all down to to the Prime Minister : anybody who has ever encountered Ms. Fionnuala Kenny in her previous existence as (gulp) the Dean of the Fianna Fail Spin Doctorate knows ‘she does not suffer high school hookey players gladly’.
So, assuming he will turn up (apres tout / tar eis an tsaoil) PM Fionnuala still has a vast wardrobe of discreet designer frocks to wear for the next visit of Homecoming Queen Eilish (it’s a feminine thingy):
-Will it be Kick-ass Kenny or God-send Enda ?
It was in the former guise that he went through the tough guy routine of Withdrawing. Our. Ambassador. From. The. Vatican.
For twenty tense moments and ten on July 24th, 2011 , the world literally held its breath, even as the mushrooms clouded the window of the political microwave. Mankind only relaxed with the publication of the globally-respected endomorphic editorial of The Unionist Times:
-We Endorse Enda !
So, how will the Summit Meeting on the Mainland go ?
Consider the math: M15: 6: Loughinisland 0.
Vatican: 0: Free Southern Stateen: 0.
One suspects the following musical scenario will play out in the United in Manchester Meet , based as it is on the fact that the British PM and the Plenipotentiary of the PM south of the B.S.D. have both been singing (harmoniously) from the same hymn sheet:
-The No-Brainer Plainchant.
Which is not to say that the following after-hours sing-song won’t feature, with the PM on lead vocals:
-This Loughinisland is my land
Across the border hand in hand
Stayin’ alive
With M I 5
Marching in time to a LOL band.
With the Plenipotentiary prominently featuring in the backing group:
-The Succumbags.
–
Could any of those who scoff at the ‘bad apples theory’ indicate what proportion of police officers they think were involved in collusion?
MT, please don’t insult our intelligence……
the whole orchard was rotten.and still is.
No more than 95%!
It would appear less a case of ‘a few bad apples’ as it is now clearly evident that there were in fact only a few good ones. RUC Special Branch have been utterly discredited by the Police Ombudsman’s Report – while there may have been some good apples within the rank and file of the police service, Special Branch were rotten to the core and proven to have been heavily involved in colluding with loyalist paramilitaries. You have read the report, I take it?
“It would appear less a case of ‘a few bad apples’ as it is now clearly evident that there were in fact only a few good ones.”
What draws you to that conclusion?
“RUC Special Branch have been utterly discredited by the Police Ombudsman’s Report – while there may have been some good apples within the rank and file of the police service, Special Branch were rotten to the core and proven to have been heavily involved in colluding with loyalist paramilitaries. You have read the report, I take it?”
But you do realise that only a very small proportion of police officers were in Special Branch? That being the case, where is the evidence that there were “only a few good apples”? How many do you mean by a few and on what do you base your evidence?
The point I was rather crudely attempting to make was that RUC Special Branch were rotten to the core. Are you prepared to concede this?
On the RUC were rotten to the core, not just special branch.
When billy right was out terrorising estates, deciding who should get burnt out or their homes wrecked for not cow towing or being catholic in the wrong estate, the police would never show up.
I was chaperoned out the back door of one house when he was doing the rounds and witnessed it in action.
I also worked with a relation of his in a factory in portadown and was told he worked hand in hand with the RUC who would pick him up and drop him off in land rovers.
This went right the way to CC RF and there were talk of an inner circle which met with local unionist politicians and business men.
The rotten core was a lot wider than special branch
It matters little how many ‘bad apples’ were involved, but one thing is for sure the owners of the orchard were 100% involved.
How many bad apples does it take to ruin a barrel?
Terrible for the families to have to go through all this for all these years just to get the truth of what happened to there loved ones.
Hopefully now that the truth is known they’ll finally get justice also.
You sure you are a unionist Scott? 🙂
Most definitely Jessica
I would condemn this just as I would condemn any other act of collusion. Doesn’t matter if it’s the RUC or the Gardi
“I would condemn this just as I would condemn any other act of collusion. Doesn’t matter if it’s the RUC or the Gardi”
Don’t need to bother with the condemnation Scott, I can tell you are genuine.
You are going to make me have to review my opinions on unionism. I suppose that isn’t a bad thing, it means we are going in the right direction. 🙂
RJC, I’m still roarin’ at the “six county fry.” That’s first class boy.
Shocked, yes shocked! Why is his sincerity being questioned?
.