1981 remembered

[LondonCamanachd]

The Commonwealth War Graves Commision has quite a list i believe.

So, name me one who died on hunger-strike (selfless and painfully self-sacrificial).

You didn't say that the first time. None that i know off. The Prods were stupid, but not that stupid.

Yeah, I'd assumed that you might have understood selfless and painfully self-sacrificial, i.e., giving up one's own life without trying to take someone else's (like those on your list). Plainly not.

Quite a few of this lot died not only not causing harm to others, but actively trying to prevent it.
http://www.palacebarracksmemorialgarden.co.uk/felix.html

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Quite a few of this lot died not only not causing harm to others, but actively trying to prevent it.
http://www.palacebarracksmemorialgarden.co.uk/felix.html

Knowing that you might go instantaneously as a side-effect of your line of work, and giving up your own life knowing that it could take anything between 50 and 75 days are not the same thing.

[LondonCamanachd]

Quite a few of this lot died not only not causing harm to others, but actively trying to prevent it.
http://www.palacebarracksmemorialgarden.co.uk/felix.html

Knowing that you might go instantaneously as a side-effect of your line of work, and giving up your own life knowing that it could take anything between 50 and 75 days are not the same thing.

Not all EOD deaths were instant, and the prospect of a life long disability wasn't far away either.

I'm not doubting the commitment of the hunger strikers, I just feel the point that their sacrifice was unequalled by "the other lot" was a bit blinkered.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

The Commonwealth War Graves Commision has quite a list i believe.

So, name me one who died on hunger-strike (selfless and painfully self-sacrificial).

You didn't say that the first time. None that i know off. The Prods were stupid, but not that stupid.

Yeah, I'd assumed that you might have understood selfless and painfully self-sacrificial, i.e., giving up one's own life without trying to take someone else's (like those on your list). Plainly not.

Quite a few of this lot died not only not causing harm to others, but actively trying to prevent it.
http://www.palacebarracksmemorialgarden.co.uk/felix.html

When Captain Boycott had no one to take in his crop, the Orange Order came down from Ulster to help him. They paid for their own fair, and when they got to Mayo no one would taxi them to Boycott's estate. They walked a long distance by foot. Boycott charged them rent to stay on his land as they took in his crop for him for free. The Unionists were great for the self-sacrifice and being complete eejits at the very same time. Defending the Union that respected them as little as the natives in the colonies/conqured territories.

[glens abu]

Thursday 5th

The Welfare sent for me today to inform me of my father being taken ill to hospital. Tried to get me to crawl for a special visit with my family. I was distressed about my father's illness but relieved that he has been released from hospital. No matter what, I must continue.

I had a threatening toothache today which worried me, but it is gone now.

I've read Atkins' statement in the Commons, Mar dheá! (Atkins pledged that the British government would not budge an inch on its intransigent position.) It does not annoy me because my mind was prepared for such things and I know I can expect more of such, right to the bitter end.

I came across some verse in Kipling's short stories; the extracts of verses before the stories are quite good. The one that I thought very good went like this:

The earth gave up her dead that tide,

Into our camp he came,

And said his say, and went his way,

And left our hearts aflame.

Keep tally on the gun butt score,

The vengeance we must take,

When God shall bring full reckoning,

For our dead comrade's sake.

'I hope not,' said I to myself. But that hope was not even a hope, but a mere figure of speech. I have hope, indeed. All men must have hope and never lose heart. But my hope lies in the ultimate victory for my poor people. Is there any hope greater than that?

I'm saying prayers — crawler! (and a last minute one, some would say). But I believe in God, and I'll be presumptuous and say he and I are getting on well this weather.

I can ignore the presence of food staring me straight in the face all the time. But I have this desire for brown wholemeal bread, butter, Dutch cheese and honey. Ha!! It is not damaging me, because, I think, 'Well, human food can never keep a man alive forever,' and I console myself with the fact that I'll get a great feed up above (if I'm worthy).

But then I'm struck by this awful thought that they don't eat food up there. But if there's something better than brown wholemeal bread, cheese and honey, etcetera, then it can't be bad.

The March winds are getting angry tonight, which reminds me that I'm twenty-seven on Monday. I must go, the road is just beginning, and tomorrow is another day. I am now 62 kgs and, in general, mentally and physically, I feel very good.

[LondonCamanachd]

When Captain Boycott had no one to take in his crop, the Orange Order came down from Ulster to help him. They paid for their own fair, and when they got to Mayo no one would taxi them to Boycott's estate. They walked a long distance by foot. Boycott charged them rent to stay on his land as they took in his crop for him for free. The Unionists were great for the self-sacrifice and being complete eejits at the very same time. Defending the Union that respected them as little as the natives in the colonies/conqured territories.

Just as no one side has a unique claim to courage and self-sacrifice, so no side has a unique claim on stupid and futile waste of life.  Their own or others.

Now that Harland and Wolff has closed down NI has lost its use to Westminster, Unionists might be a bit leery.  After all, Westminster doesn't seem be doing a great job of keeping hold of Scotland, and we've got the oil.

[glens abu]

Friday 6th

There was no priest in last night or tonight. They stopped me from seeing my solicitor tonight, as another part of the isolation process, which, as time goes by, they will ruthlessly implement. I expect they may move me sooner than expected to an empty wing. I will be sorry to leave the boys, but I know the road is a hard one and everything must be conquered.

I have felt the loss of energy twice today, and I am feeling slightly weak.

They (the Screws) are unembarrassed by the enormous amount of food they are putting into the cell and I know they have every bean and chip counted or weighed. The damned fools don't realise that the doctor does tests for traces of any food eaten. Regardless, I have no intention of sampling their tempting morsels.

I am sleeping well at night so far, as I avoid sleeping during the day. I am even having pleasant dreams and so far no headaches. Is that a tribute to my psychological frame of mind or will I pay for that tomorrow or later! I wonder how long I will be able to keep these scribbles going?

My friend Jennifer got twenty years. I am greatly distressed. (Twenty-one-year-old Jennifer McCann, from Belfast's Twinbrook estate, was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment for shooting at an RUC man).

I have no doubts or regrets about what I am doing for I know what I have faced for eight years, and in particular for the last four and-a-half years, others will face, young lads and girls still at school, or young Gerard or Kevin (Bobby's son and nephew, respectively) and thousands of others.

They will not criminalise us, rob us of our true identity, steal our individualism, depoliticise us, churn us out as systemised, institutionalised, decent law-abiding robots. Never will they label our liberation struggle as criminal.

I am (even after all the torture) amazed at British logic. Never in eight centuries have they succeeded in breaking the spirit of one man who refused to be broken. They have not dispirited, conquered, nor demoralised my people, nor will they ever.

I may be a sinner, but I stand — and if it so be, will die — happy knowing that I do not have to answer for what these people have done to our ancient nation.

Thomas Clarke is in my thoughts, and MacSwiney, Stagg, Gaughan, Thomas Ashe, McCaughey. Dear God, we have so many that another one to those knaves means nothing, or so they say, for some day they'll pay.

When I am thinking of Clarke, I thought of the time I spent in 'B' wing in Crumlin Road jail in September and October '77. I realised just what was facing me then. I've no need to record it all, some of my comrades experienced it too, so they know I have been thinking that some people (maybe many people) blame me for this hunger-strike, but I have tried everything possible to avert it short of surrender.

I pity those who say that, because they do not know the British and I feel more the pity for them because they don't even know their poor selves. But didn't we have people like that who sought to accuse Tone, Emmet, Pearse, Connolly, Mellowes: that unfortunate attitude is perennial also...

I can hear the curlew passing overhead. Such a lonely cell, such a lonely struggle. But, my friend, this road is well trod and he, whoever he was, who first passed this way, deserves the salute of the nation. I am but a mere follower and I must say Oíche Mhaith.

[Myles Na G.]

Friday 6th

There was no priest in last night or tonight. They stopped me from seeing my solicitor tonight, as another part of the isolation process, which, as time goes by, they will ruthlessly implement. I expect they may move me sooner than expected to an empty wing. I will be sorry to leave the boys, but I know the road is a hard one and everything must be conquered.

I have felt the loss of energy twice today, and I am feeling slightly weak.

They (the Screws) are unembarrassed by the enormous amount of food they are putting into the cell and I know they have every bean and chip counted or weighed. The damned fools don't realise that the doctor does tests for traces of any food eaten. Regardless, I have no intention of sampling their tempting morsels.

I am sleeping well at night so far, as I avoid sleeping during the day. I am even having pleasant dreams and so far no headaches. Is that a tribute to my psychological frame of mind or will I pay for that tomorrow or later! I wonder how long I will be able to keep these scribbles going?

My friend Jennifer got twenty years. I am greatly distressed. (Twenty-one-year-old Jennifer McCann, from Belfast's Twinbrook estate, was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment for shooting at an RUC man).

I have no doubts or regrets about what I am doing for I know what I have faced for eight years, and in particular for the last four and-a-half years, others will face, young lads and girls still at school, or young Gerard or Kevin (Bobby's son and nephew, respectively) and thousands of others.

They will not criminalise us, rob us of our true identity, steal our individualism, depoliticise us, churn us out as systemised, institutionalised, decent law-abiding robots. Never will they label our liberation struggle as criminal.

I am (even after all the torture) amazed at British logic. Never in eight centuries have they succeeded in breaking the spirit of one man who refused to be broken. They have not dispirited, conquered, nor demoralised my people, nor will they ever.

I may be a sinner, but I stand — and if it so be, will die — happy knowing that I do not have to answer for what these people have done to our ancient nation.

Thomas Clarke is in my thoughts, and MacSwiney, Stagg, Gaughan, Thomas Ashe, McCaughey. Dear God, we have so many that another one to those knaves means nothing, or so they say, for some day they'll pay.

When I am thinking of Clarke, I thought of the time I spent in 'B' wing in Crumlin Road jail in September and October '77. I realised just what was facing me then. I've no need to record it all, some of my comrades experienced it too, so they know I have been thinking that some people (maybe many people) blame me for this hunger-strike, but I have tried everything possible to avert it short of surrender.

I pity those who say that, because they do not know the British and I feel more the pity for them because they don't even know their poor selves. But didn't we have people like that who sought to accuse Tone, Emmet, Pearse, Connolly, Mellowes: that unfortunate attitude is perennial also...

I can hear the curlew passing overhead. Such a lonely cell, such a lonely struggle. But, my friend, this road is well trod and he, whoever he was, who first passed this way, deserves the salute of the nation. I am but a mere follower and I must say Oíche Mhaith.

If ever you wanted evidence that Sands (or his editors *) already had one eye on his status as republican legend, look no further. The use of a curlew as a poetic device is well documented in Irish literature and Sands (or his editors) slip it in here to signify the loneliness of the long distance hunger striker. The litany of republican martyrs is also no accident: this is a statement designed to place Sands alongside those same martyrs, to link their struggle with his. (This was at a time, remember, when the republican movement was facing mounting criticism from a nationalist community sick of 10 years of atrocities).

* Sands' later communications are significantly better on the grammar front than some of his earlier stuff. In one earlier comm, he says 'I was took to Castlereagh' He also refers to 'them days'. He continues: 'I must have wrote you articles...' Yet by the end, he's waxing on about curlews with hardly a grammatical mistake in sight.

[glens abu]

Saturday 7th

I received a most welcome note tonight from Bernie, my sister. old Bernie. I love her and think she's the greatest.

I am now convinced that the authorities intend to implement strict isolation soon, as I am having trouble in seeing my solicitor. I hope I'm wrong about the isolation, but we'll see.

It's only that I'd like to remain with the boys for as long as possible for many reasons. If I'm isolated, I will simply conquer it.

A priest was in today, somewhat pleasant, and told me about Brendan O Cathaoir's article in The Irish Times during the week, which I saw. We had a bit of discussion on certain points, which, of course, were to him contentious. He was cordial in his own practised way, purely tactical, of course, and at the same time he was most likely boiling over inside, thinking of the reference to this week's AP/RN (February 28th issue) calling him a collaborating middle-class nationalist, or appropriate words to that effect.

He is too, says I, and I sympathise with those unfortunate sons of God who find themselves battling against the poverty, disease, corruption, death and inhumanities of the missions...

I am 61 kgs today, going down. I'm not troubled by hunger pangs, nor paranoiac about anything pertaining to food, but, by God, the food has improved here. I thought I noticed that during the last hunger-strike. Well, there is a lot at stake here.

I got the Irish News today, but there's nothing in it, that's why I got it.

I'm looking forward to seeing the comrades at Mass tomorrow, all the younger looking faces, minus the beards, moustaches, long rambling untamed hair matted in thick clumps.

One thing is sure, that awful stage, of the piercing or glazed eyes, the tell-tale sign of the rigours of torture, won't be gone - if it is ever removed. I wonder is it even conceivable that it could be erased from the mind?

We got a new comrade during the week. Isn't it inspiring the comrades who keep joining us? I read what Jennifer said in court. (On being sentenced, Jennifer McCann said: 'I am a Republican prisoner of war and at the moment my comrade Bobby Sands is on hunger-strike to defend my rights as a political prisoner.') I was touched and proud, she is my comrade.

I've been thinking of Mary Doyle and Ellen McGuigan and all the rest of the girls in Armagh. How can I forget them?

The Screws are staring at me perplexed. Many of them hope (if their eyes tell the truth) that I will die. If need be, I'll oblige them, but my God they are fools. Oscar Wilde did not do justice to them for I believe they are lower than even he thought. And I may add there is only one thing lower than a Screw and that is a Governor. And in my experience the higher one goes up that disgusting ladder they call rank, or position, the lower one gets...

It's raining. I'm not cold, my spirits are well, and I'm still getting some smokes — decadence, well sort of, but who's perfect. Bad for your health. Mar dheas anois, Oíche Mhaith

[Nally Stand]

Great how they will always be remembered even in other countries.

This week Florence City Council voted to name a street after Bobby Sands who died on hunger strike in 1981 fighting for political status. There was a discussion and when it came to a vote 33 city councillors out of 34 voted in favour of the street naming and there was just one abstention.

There were three other streets newly named after Oriana Fallaci, a well-known journalist and writer from Florence; Ilaria Alpi, a brave young journalist killed in an ambush in Mogadishu, Somalia; and world-renowned Italian film director Mario Monicelli.

Irish republican supporters hope that the move will encourage other municipalities to act and honour Bobby Sands and his comrades in similar ways.

Patsy O'Hara Place, Auckland, New Zealand:

[glens abu]

Sunday 8th

In a few hours time I shall be twenty-seven grand years of age. Paradoxically it will be a happy enough birthday; perhaps that's because I am free in spirit. I can offer no other reason.

I was at Mass today, and saw all the lads minus their beards, etc. An American priest said Mass and I went to Communion. One of the lads collapsed before Mass, but he's all right now. Another was taken out to Musgrave military hospital. These are regular occurrences.

I am 60.8 kgs today, and have no medical complaints.

I received another note from my sister Bernie and her boyfriend. It does my heart good to hear from her. I got the Irish News today, which carried some adverts in support of the hunger-strike.

There is a stand-by doctor who examined me at the weekend, a young man whose name I did not know up until now. Little friendly Dr Ross has been the doctor. He was also the doctor during the last hunger-strike.

Dr Emerson is, they say, down with the 'flu... Dr Ross, although friendly, is in my opinion also an examiner of people's minds. Which reminds me, they haven't asked me to see a psychiatrist yet. No doubt they will yet, but I won't see him for I am mentally stable, probably more so than he.

I read some wild-life articles in various papers, which indeed brought back memories of the once-upon-a-time budding ornithologist! It was a bright pleasant afternoon today and it is a calm evening. It is surprising what even the confined eyes and ears can discover.

I am awaiting the lark, for spring is all but upon us. How I listened to that lark when I was in H-5, and watched a pair of chaffinches which arrived in February. Now lying on what indeed is my death bed, I still listen even to the black crows.

[theticklemister]

Friday 6th

There was no priest in last night or tonight. They stopped me from seeing my solicitor tonight, as another part of the isolation process, which, as time goes by, they will ruthlessly implement. I expect they may move me sooner than expected to an empty wing. I will be sorry to leave the boys, but I know the road is a hard one and everything must be conquered.

I have felt the loss of energy twice today, and I am feeling slightly weak.

They (the Screws) are unembarrassed by the enormous amount of food they are putting into the cell and I know they have every bean and chip counted or weighed. The damned fools don't realise that the doctor does tests for traces of any food eaten. Regardless, I have no intention of sampling their tempting morsels.

I am sleeping well at night so far, as I avoid sleeping during the day. I am even having pleasant dreams and so far no headaches. Is that a tribute to my psychological frame of mind or will I pay for that tomorrow or later! I wonder how long I will be able to keep these scribbles going?

My friend Jennifer got twenty years. I am greatly distressed. (Twenty-one-year-old Jennifer McCann, from Belfast's Twinbrook estate, was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment for shooting at an RUC man).

I have no doubts or regrets about what I am doing for I know what I have faced for eight years, and in particular for the last four and-a-half years, others will face, young lads and girls still at school, or young Gerard or Kevin (Bobby's son and nephew, respectively) and thousands of others.

They will not criminalise us, rob us of our true identity, steal our individualism, depoliticise us, churn us out as systemised, institutionalised, decent law-abiding robots. Never will they label our liberation struggle as criminal.

I am (even after all the torture) amazed at British logic. Never in eight centuries have they succeeded in breaking the spirit of one man who refused to be broken. They have not dispirited, conquered, nor demoralised my people, nor will they ever.

I may be a sinner, but I stand — and if it so be, will die — happy knowing that I do not have to answer for what these people have done to our ancient nation.

Thomas Clarke is in my thoughts, and MacSwiney, Stagg, Gaughan, Thomas Ashe, McCaughey. Dear God, we have so many that another one to those knaves means nothing, or so they say, for some day they'll pay.

When I am thinking of Clarke, I thought of the time I spent in 'B' wing in Crumlin Road jail in September and October '77. I realised just what was facing me then. I've no need to record it all, some of my comrades experienced it too, so they know I have been thinking that some people (maybe many people) blame me for this hunger-strike, but I have tried everything possible to avert it short of surrender.

I pity those who say that, because they do not know the British and I feel more the pity for them because they don't even know their poor selves. But didn't we have people like that who sought to accuse Tone, Emmet, Pearse, Connolly, Mellowes: that unfortunate attitude is perennial also...

I can hear the curlew passing overhead. Such a lonely cell, such a lonely struggle. But, my friend, this road is well trod and he, whoever he was, who first passed this way, deserves the salute of the nation. I am but a mere follower and I must say Oíche Mhaith.

If ever you wanted evidence that Sands (or his editors *) already had one eye on his status as republican legend, look no further. The use of a curlew as a poetic device is well documented in Irish literature and Sands (or his editors) slip it in here to signify the loneliness of the long distance hunger striker. The litany of republican martyrs is also no accident: this is a statement designed to place Sands alongside those same martyrs, to link their struggle with his. (This was at a time, remember, when the republican movement was facing mounting criticism from a nationalist community sick of 10 years of atrocities).

* Sands' later communications are significantly better on the grammar front than some of his earlier stuff. In one earlier comm, he says 'I was took to Castlereagh' He also refers to 'them days'. He continues: 'I must have wrote you articles...' Yet by the end, he's waxing on about curlews with hardly a grammatical mistake in sight.

If you read through the works of Bobby Sands it is clearly to be seen that he is a poet and scholar. His work is one of the finest this country had ever seen but due to the fact that he was a Republican during this time of struggle his true place in Irish literature history will never be accepted.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

If you read through the works of Bobby Sands it is clearly to be seen that he is a poet and scholar. His work is one of the finest this country had ever seen but due to the fact that he was a Republican during this time of struggle his true place in Irish literature history will never be accepted.

Arra now, I know young Bobby et al. have been raised to sacred cow status long since but now we are to say he is one of the finest poets and scholars we ever had?

Part of the great work at elevating Saint Bobby.

It is strange though that his own comrades initially baulked at nominating him as lead hunger striker due to the sectarian nature of the offence for which he was convicted.   Indeed it is no surprise that in retrospective republicans' questioning of the actual conviction grew to questioning of him being actually involved, to complete denial at this stage.  This no doubt motivated by the fact that targetting the Balmorral store is a hard one to "pretty up".  It is difficult because it was such an overtly sectarian act (Not once but twice) to target a business for being owned by Protestants in a loyalist area. 

Being willing to die for a cause isn't the only measure of a man or his cause.

/Jim.

[glens abu]

If you read through the works of Bobby Sands it is clearly to be seen that he is a poet and scholar. His work is one of the finest this country had ever seen but due to the fact that he was a Republican during this time of struggle his true place in Irish literature history will never be accepted.

Arra now, I know young Bobby et al. have been raised to sacred cow status long since but now we are to say he is one of the finest poets and scholars we ever had?

Part of the great work at elevating Saint Bobby.

It is strange though that his own comrades initially baulked at nominating him as lead hunger striker due to the sectarian nature of the offence for which he was convicted.   Indeed it is no surprise that in retrospective republicans' questioning of the actual conviction grew to questioning of him being actually involved, to complete denial at this stage.  This no doubt motivated by the fact that targetting the Balmorral store is a hard one to "pretty up".  It is difficult because it was such an overtly sectarian act (Not once but twice) to target a business for being owned by Protestants in a loyalist area. 

Being willing to die for a cause isn't the only measure of a man or his cause.

/Jim.

Load of balls Murph,Bobby Sands was sentenced to 14 years for possession of a gun allegedly used in a gun battle with the RUC after the bombing in Dunmurry,he was never charged with any bombing.Also the IRA at the time were involved in bombing commercial premises and it didn't matter what the religion was of the owner.There was not a sectarian bone in his body.

[muppet]

If you read through the works of Bobby Sands it is clearly to be seen that he is a poet and scholar. His work is one of the finest this country had ever seen but due to the fact that he was a Republican during this time of struggle his true place in Irish literature history will never be accepted.

Arra now, I know young Bobby et al. have been raised to sacred cow status long since but now we are to say he is one of the finest poets and scholars we ever had?

Part of the great work at elevating Saint Bobby.

It is strange though that his own comrades initially baulked at nominating him as lead hunger striker due to the sectarian nature of the offence for which he was convicted.   Indeed it is no surprise that in retrospective republicans' questioning of the actual conviction grew to questioning of him being actually involved, to complete denial at this stage.  This no doubt motivated by the fact that targetting the Balmorral store is a hard one to "pretty up".  It is difficult because it was such an overtly sectarian act (Not once but twice) to target a business for being owned by Protestants in a loyalist area. 

Being willing to die for a cause isn't the only measure of a man or his cause.

/Jim.

Load of balls Murph,Bobby Sands was sentenced to 14 years for possession of a gun allegedly used in a gun battle with the RUC after the bombing in Dunmurry,he was never charged with any bombing.Also the IRA at the time were involved in bombing commercial premises and it didn't matter what the religion was of the owner.There was not a sectarian bone in his body.

What was that about? (Serious question)