You may have heard of Benedict Arnold. No relation of Thomas Arnold the famed Headmaster of Rugby School nor of Matthew Arnold, author of Culture and Anarchy. An American patriot who first distinguished himself in the War of Independence and then turned his coat and supported the British Enemy.
Benedict Arnold’s name in the United States is synonymous with Traitor.
The Americans didn’t erect a statue to the full man but there is a story of a memorial to his hand, to acknowledge the good he had done with it before his heart went astray.
A hero of our own 1919-21 War of Independence, Dan Breen, used tell that story. Breen took part, with Sean Treacy, under the command of Seamus Robinson in the celebrated Soloheadbeg ambush of 21 January 1919 and a myriad of battles until the 1921 Truce, took part in the Civil War, on the Republican side.
His heart wasn’t in the “Civil” War, and, when he won election for a Tipperary seat he went into Leinster House before anyone on his side of the Civil War did. He later joined Fianna Fail and remained a TD for many years.
Dan was unique among Fianna Fai TDs in admiring Adolf Hitler, even when Lloyd George, Hitler and the Daily Mail were no longer the Fuhrer’s fans. I suspect Dan only started his admiration when the Brits stopped theirs. It was only natural to enjoy seeing one’s enemies getting a hiding. Dan had no animosity towards the Jews, either in general or in private
Though he revealed his thoughts to Robert Briscoe, a fellow Republican veteran of the War of Independence, Fianna Fail TD, and committed Zionist , they didn’t come to blows. I may be wrong but I think that under Dev’s leadership, Fianna Fail, to the outside world was one big happy family.
Another giant in the pantheon of Irish National Heroes was John Mitchel and I suggest you read the Wikipedia entry on him. For physical bravery, moral courage suffering,and writing in the cause of justice for Ireland, he should be honoured forever.
On the other hand he advocated the most explicitly cruel, inhuman and foul treatment of black-skinned people and Jews. He was twice elected as MP for Tipperary, but like Tom Michell of Sinn Fein in1955 in Mid/Ulster or Fermanagh/South Tyrone was replaced by a bad loser.
By way of an ending I pose the Question –
Is The Irish Rugby Football Union more or less Internationalist than the GAA?
If you think about it, the GAA had a number of clubs named after the South African De Wet, hero of resistance to British aggression.
ON THE OTHER HAND:-
Did the IRFU ever name a club after Mandela or any heroes of the anti-apartheid struggle?
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