Looking back at the events of the last century in Ireland, it is interesting to note that British arrogance and intransigence was a constant factor in their attitude to Ireland and Irish republicans. Their arrogance needlessly prolonged the conflict. Of course, their arrogance was on display not only in their attitude towards Ireland but in their condescending attitude towards the poor and their leaders in other colonies. Think of Amritsar, when on the first day of the Sikh new year, April 13, 1919, British soldiers under General Dyer, slaughtered 379 people and injured more than one thousand. There was no warning. The General viewed that the gathering was breaking the law prohibiting public assembly. British officials hailed the General’s action as necessary for security –to keep an unruly subject population in order.
The arrogance of the British political class was proven in Court the other day when Gerry Adams won his legal case against the British government for their actions in detaining him – almost 50 years ago. The court ruled that he had been unlawfully detained on two occasions in 1972 and 1973 and he could not be accused or convicted of breaking the law by trying to escape from unlawful detention. This ruling must apply to many other internees at that time. The Brits thought they could lock all these troublesome people up, throw away the key-and they would never be held accountable. Sure, they’re only the Irish. But sometimes truth catches up and the Court has ruled against the British and ruled in favour not only of justice but also of truth. Gerry Adams said afterwards that the case was not primarily about compensation. He took the opportunity to remind the British government about their responsibility under the terms of the 1998 Belfast Agreement to hold a Border referendum.
Looking back further to events after the 1916 Rebellion we also see the arrogance of the British when they executed the main leaders of the Rising. I happened to be reading Peadar O’Donnell’s book, There will be Another Day-the other day and in it he reminds us how the British responded to the setting up in 1919 of the First Dáil in Dublin after Sinn Fein’s spectacular victory in the 1918 election. In their arrogance the British introduced and passed in the Westminster parliament, the Government of Ireland Act 1920. That arrogant action had serious consequences for the people –especially the poor and the marginalised of this nation. Peadar writes:
“People forget that the British government reacted to the setting up of Dáil Éireann, the sovereign assembly of the Irish people, in 1919, on two levels, political and military. On the first, it enacted the Government of Ireland Act 1920 which partitioned the country and proposed to set up two parliaments. On the second, to scare the people into the strait-jacket of the Government of Ireland Act, the Black and Tans were let loose on Ireland. Republicans scarce glanced at the Government of Ireland Act, they were too busy defending the Republic against the Tans.”
We who have lived through the conflict after 1969, have seen the British arrogance over and over again – in relation to republican prisoners, the hunger-strikers and those elected by the people. The arrogance of British politicians could be seen when they justified the murder of many Catholics and republicans. We have once again seen their arrogance with their Brexit shenanigans- and we will see more of it in the near future. In the words of the title of Peadar O’Donnell’s book, ‘There will be Another Day’- ‘Beidh Lá eile ag an bPaorach’. The Arrogance of the British Political Class by Joe McVeigh The Arrogance of the British Political Class by Joe McVeigh
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