Posted by Jim on March 4, 2018
One of the most shocking loyalist atrocities of the conflict — the
murders of two lifelong friends, one a Protestant, one a Catholic —
made headlines around the world 20 years ago this week.
The double murder by the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) drew
international interest after it emerged Philip Allen and Damien Trainor
were from different religious backgrounds. They were killed on March 3
1998, just weeks before the Good Friday peace Agreement was signed.
The pair were sitting close to the door of the village pub in
Poyntzpass, County Armagh, when the gunmen burst in and ordered them to
lie on the floor, before killing them both. Two of Mr Allen’s brothers
were also in the bar when the gang struck but managed to escape with
their lives.
Loyalists Stephen McClean and Noel McCready laughed and joked in court
as they were sentenced to life for the savage murders, with a judge
saying it “will be remembered as one of the most heinous events in the
history of Northern Ireland”.
Ryan Robley also pleaded guilty to his part in the killings and was
given a long jail term, while a fourth man, suspected state agent David
Keys, was killed in jail by the LVF just days after the attack.
Bernie Canavan, now aged 84, was behind the bar in her family’s pub that
night. She recounted how two masked gunmen rushed in and opened fire,
striking the frame of a door as she made her escape.
“It wasn’t long till they started to shoot,” she told the Irish News.
“They said ‘lie down’ but then they just started to shoot and I ran up
the stairs – they take you into the living room where my husband was.
“I ran in and I turned off the lights.”
She believed at the time she might have been the target of the killers.
“I thought they were going to follow me, I don’t know why, it must have
been the first reaction – it was me they were looking for.
“I didn’t even think who they were, it’s just I thought they were going
to follow me with these guns. I went to turn off the lights and I said
‘They are shooting, they are shooting in the bar’.”
After returning downstairs a short time later she said there was a lot
of panic.
“We thought the ambulance never would come,” she said. “I was up and
down to see was it coming. They actually said they didn’t die until they
were up the road but Damien must have been unconscious. He never spoke.”
Her son, former Armagh manager Brian Canavan, was training with the
squad when he got a call to tell him there had been a shooting at the
bar.
Mr Canavan says he has concerns about the circumstances of the attack,
especially around the role of David Keys.
“The bit I could never understand was the police had an informer in the
car,” he said.
“One of the drivers was an informer. He maintained he didn’t know where
they were going… so I don’t know what happened there. They knew the
car was stolen in Dromore two days before it.
“The police knew a whole lot afterwards when you started to quiz them,
not that they like to be quizzed too much, they knew a bit, they knew
there was something going to happen.”
He believes there are still questions that need to be answered.
“I suppose maybe the families don’t think the way I think but I would be
more curious – they had an informer,” he said.
“Then you see all these stories coming out now about collusion and
everything else you wonder to yourself, well, did somebody inside know
anything? You don’t know, you will never know because the informer was
killed in prison.”
Mark Thompson of Relatives for Justice, who has worked with families of
LVF victims, said it was “no coincidence that the formation of the LVF
occurred in the context of a wider securocrat agenda that was also
opposed to the peace process”.
“The securocrat agenda was largely driven by the tunnel vision of some
within the security, military and intelligence community that sought to
militarily defeat republicans rather than engage in the changing
political dynamic that the IRA ceasefire created.”
Philip Allen’s mother Ethel is the last surviving parent of the two men
who were killed. She said that she can never forgive the killers and
believes the men took part in the murders to clear a drug debt to the
LVF.
“I don’t know why they picked Philip and Damien but I was told that they
owed #1,000 for drugs and if they killed two Catholics that was their
bill paid for. And that came from a reliable source,” she said.
“But they didn’t kill two Catholics, they didn’t care. Why was them
boys’ two lives only worth #500? A life is worth a hell of a lot more
than that.”
She sid she wanted one question answered about the attack. “The pub was
full because there was sale on, there was plenty of other ones there –
why was it just them two?”
Posted by Jim on
“Unionism opposed Home Rule, even to the extent of taking up arms [1912-1914], but it later settled for exactly that when Irish partition gave Unionists their own state. However, the Stormont government opted for political repression and anti-Catholic discrimination. … Its present weakened state dates from the misuse of Stormont’s one-party rule and the failure of successive Unionist leaders to move away from its overriding adherence to political dominance since then….As long as they stay there [Westminister] and not in Stormont, it looks like a continuing case of withering Unionism.”
Fr. McManus
Patrick Murphy. Irish News. Belfast. Saturday, March 3, 2018
The civil rights movement threw Unionism into confusion and the Anglo-Irish Agreement propelled it into chaos.
Stormont’s collapse last year placed it firmly in crisis and just when it thought things could not get worse, the EU this week suggested re-locating The North’s post-Brexit customs border to the Irish Sea.
In 50 years, Unionism has declined from having a monopoly in northern politics to being unsure of what it is selling, uninformed about its customer base and apparently devoid of a future business plan.
For almost a century, it has had an in-built majority, in a state specifically designed to protect that majority. If Unionism took the wrong turn when Terence O’Neill said in 1968, “Ulster stands at the cross roads”, it has taken every possible wrong road since then. Another wrong turning and it risks political insolvency.
So what exactly does modern Unionism stand for? How did it get into such a weakened position and where, if anywhere, does it go from here?
Although it is conservative in nature, Unionism is not quite a political philosophy. It tends to be more a state of mind. For centuries Ireland has been subject to various overseas influences, invasions and plantations, but in most cases the new arrivals gradually merged into the Irish way of life.
The Anglo-Normans blended seamlessly into Irish society. The Tudor plantation of Munster effectively failed and more recent arrivals from Africa will soon be among our finest GAA sportsmen and women.
The one exception was the Ulster plantation, which reflected religious rivalry from the start. Although radical Presbyterianism in the 18th century offset some of that division, it later converted to Unionism, mainly through the influence of the Orange Order.
Unionism opposed Home Rule, even to the extent of taking up arms, but it later settled for exactly that when Irish partition gave Unionists their own state. However, the Stormont government opted for political repression and anti-Catholic discrimination.
In response, the Nationalist Party sat silent in Stormont while the IRA, in Peadar O’Donnell’s words, formed fours in dark corners in fields. When the civil rights movement demanded basic democratic rights for all (including unionists) unionism came under pressure for the first time. Repression ultimately destabilized the state.
Terence O’Neill’s response was to have tea with reverend mothers in convent school parlours. Arlene Foster used the same tactic last year (although there are fewer reverend mothers these days) to show how Irish language-friendly she was. (Unionism is not good at coming up with fresh ideas.)
Its present weakened state dates from the misuse of Stormont’s one-party rule and the failure of successive Unionist leaders to move away from its overriding adherence to political dominance since then. Although it had absolute power, it combined religious elitism with a political siege mentality, encapsulated in that self-imprisoning phrase, ‘Not an inch’.
O’Neill failed to respond to the civil rights demands, because he allowed himself to become a prisoner of Paisley’s crude anti-Catholicism. Paisley was not a mainstream unionist, just a religious bigot who, because he was never faced down by a single unionist leader, distorted unionism into something resembling a quasi-religious cult, with him as leader.
When he gave an inch in his thirst for power, he was soon dumped by the party and the Church he founded – a man devoured by his own rhetoric.
In some ways the current criticism of Arlene Foster is pointless, because no previous Unionist leader has done anything differently and survived. She is a prisoner of the Unionist mind set, which states that the leader can never go faster than the slowest party member.
Already she is being outflanked by those outside her party. In a letter to the press, a ‘civic unionism’ group with more than 100 people has challenged what it says is a Nationalist assumption that qualities such as rights, truth and equality are not inherent within Unionism. They have a good point, but it is difficult to say if they can progress beyond letter-writing.
So whither Unionism from here? Home Rule in Stormont seems remote as the DUP settles for political influence at Westminster, a short-term arrangement while Theresa May is in power. That has transformed them from Ulster unionists into English conservatives.
This hardly represents the best interests of their working class Protestant support, but a bit of flag waving will soon take care of that. Unlike Scottish and Welsh unionism, the rump of Irish unionism has abandoned devolved government, settling instead for the Tory benches at Westminster.
As long as they stay there and not in Stormont, it looks like a continuing case of withering Unionism.
Posted by Jim on March 3, 2018
EU trade plan ‘could end the United Kingdom’ – May
The British Prime Minister has claimed an EU proposal for a ‘common
regulatory area’ between the EU and the North of Ireland would “threaten
the constitutional integrity of the UK”.
Released in Brussels on Wednesday by the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator
Michel Barnier, the text puts into legal terms a joint report agreed by
Britain with the EU in December. It effectively codifies a proposal for
the North of Ireland to have special status with the EU as the default
measure to ensure that no ‘hard border’ across Ireland will result from
the Brexit withdrawal agreement.
On the crucial issue of the Irish border, the draft text spells out in
detail how the principle of “regulatory alignment” agreed in December
would be implemented if Britain fails to find technological or
diplomatic solutions to keeping the border open.
The EU text states that if no technological or diplomatic solutions are
found to keeping the border open, the fallback framework is that “the
territory of Northern Ireland, excluding the territorial waters of the
United Kingdom … shall be considered to be part of the customs
territory of the Union”.
It suggests that EU and British customs authorities should jointly
oversee movements between Ireland and Britain, while Europe would remain
involved in aspects of taxation and state aid in both parts of Ireland.
However, there was a strong reaction in London.
“No UK prime minster could ever agree to it,” Mrs May told MPs.
Answering questions in parliament shortly after the publication of the
text, she said: “The draft legal text the Commission have published
would, if implemented, undermine the UK common market and threaten the
constitutional integrity of the UK by creating a customs and regulatory
border down the Irish Sea.”
There was also a sharp reaction from unionists.
The proposals sparked anger from the DUP, with leader Arlene Foster
calling it “constitutionally unacceptable.” She said the North of
Ireland must have “unfettered access” to the British market.
DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds claimed the EU was using the peace process
as an excuse to “thwart” Britain’s departure from the European Union.
Despite the majority vote two years ago by the people of the North of
Ireland to remain within the European Union, North Antrim MP Ian Paisley
hit out at what he saw as EU efforts to “annex” the area, while the
Ulster Unionist Party ironically claimed there was an attempt to
override the principle of consent of the Good Friday Agreement.
Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald condemned the reaction from the
British government and the DUP to the EU legal text.
Speaking in the Dail, she said: “The Tory-DUP axis is satisfied to treat
the welfare of the people of this island as collateral damage so long as
they achieve their ‘little Englander’ vision for Brexit.
“The position of the Tory-DUP Brexiteers is that they will have their
Brexit at any cost. Except it won’t be them who foots the bill. It will
be the ordinary people of this island both north and south.
“That can’t be allowed to happen. The Tory-DUP wrecking agenda cannot
prevail.”
In a high-profile speech at London’s Mansion House on Friday, the
British prime minister subseuqently set out five “foundations” for
Britain’s negotiators, but provided scant details on the issue of the
border.
She said she believed that the border should be “as frictionless as
possible” through a “customs arrangement” and by ensuring that British
regulatory standards “remain at least as high” as those of the EU.
She also hinted at proposals to reduce delays at border crossings by
recognising “trusted traders” and by “drawing on the most advanced IT
solutions so that vehicles do not need to stop at the border”.
Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy said May’s response was “riddled with
contradictions” and failed to deal with the problems Brexit presents to
Ireland.
“Theresa May has failed to deal with the fact that dragging the North of
Ireland out of the European Union, against the wishes of its
inhabitants, is undemocratic.
“She has failed also to deal with the fact that the North leaving the
customs union is incompatible with avoiding a hard border in Ireland.
“Theresa May and her government are still steering a course which
undermines the Good Friday Agreement and is injurious to the political,
economic and social interests of the people of Ireland, North and
South.”
He said the only workable and democratic solution was for the North of
Ireland to be granted Special Designated Status within the European
Union and the Customs Union.
“The rights of all the people of Ireland to European citizenship must be
upheld,” he said. “The EU and the Irish Government must now stand firm
in the face of British obduracy and defend the interests of Ireland and
the Irish people.”
Posted by Jim on March 2, 2018
Almost 24,000 homes and businesses across Ireland are without power amid
one of the worst winter storms the country has experienced for decades.
Much of the country heeded warnings to stay indoors amid extreme weather
conditions overnight.
Sub-zero temperatures led to extremely dangerous road conditions and
virtually all public transport was cancelled, with flights at Dublin
Airport suspended until Saturday. All Dublin Bus, Luas and Irish Rail
services are suspended.
Dublin fire brigade reported trees being down, a roof collapse and poor
conditions on the roads, with their own vehicles struggling to get
through the snow drifts.
A Status Red alert will remain in place in Leinster, Munster and Galway
until 6pm today. However, a public safety notice for people around the
country to stay indoors has been withdrawn this morning.
“As expected [the storm] moved up across country and brought and is
continue to bring strong easterly winds,” Gerry Murphy of Met Eireann
told RTE radio.
“As well as that as it met the cold air it brought snow up over parts of
Leinster and Ulster.”
Cold air from the east clashed with warmer collided with strong winds
from the south east to produce snow of up to 60cm in depth, although a
meter of snow could yet fall on the country, according to forecasts.
“There will be continuation of that snowfall as we go through the day.
Leinster and Munster will continue get the bulk of that snow,” Mr Murphy
said. “The winds will continue quite strong along the coast”.
A number of people became stuck in their cars overnight when blizzards
hit making roads impassable and visibility was reduced to zero. People
remained stuck in their vehicles across Dublin.
“It seems some people may have left the city late in the day yesterday,
and judged local conditions in town as being manageable, but as they got
out of the city to where conditions were worse they got stuck,” said a
garda spokesman.
Last night a total of 115 homeless people were allocated beds in the
Extreme Cold Weather Accommodation in the sports centre in Dublin’s
South Inner City according to the Peter McVerry Trust.
Some 21 people were found to be sleeping rough despite the extreme
conditions. The team managed to persuade six to use the emergency
shelter.
Posted by Jim on March 1, 2018
February 28th
PLAQUE DEDICATION
On Monday, March 12, 2018 at 1100 hours, a Plaque Dedication will be held honoring the memory of Lt Steven Sorger, E-6, who died on March 11, 2017. The dedication will take place in the quarters of E-6, located at 49 Beekman Street, New York, NY. All off-duty members and their families are invited to attend. Members are requested to attend in dress uniform.
NEVER FORGET FOUNDATION 9/11 MEMORIAL
Gene Lynch, President of the Never Forget Foundation, former member 38/51/D7, announces the unveiling and blessing of the 9/11 Memorial on Saturday, April 7, 2018. The memorial consists of a 3’ black granite stone with World Trade Center steel on top. The black granite is engraved with FDNY, NYPD, PAPD, airlines and civilian casualties numbers. The Twin Towers are also etched into the stone. Coffee will be served at 9am followed by a ceremony and blessing at 11am. The ceremony will take place at the Redwood Club, 2680 Schurz Ave., Bronx, NY 10465. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
RAY PFEIFER FOUNDATION
The Ray Pfeifer Foundation, a 501c3 charitable organization, is dedicated to assisting September 11th first responders, firefighters and police with medical needs not covered by insurance. Many people do not realize the attacks of 9/11 are still affecting the first responders who spent months digging through debris to find the victims in hopes of giving families closure. According to the FDNY WTC Health Program, there are over 2,000 active and retired firefighters currently battling 9/11 cancers, and thousands have been diagnosed with other illnesses. With the imminent threat of mesothelioma diagnoses, a cancer which takes roughly 20 years to develop, the number of people who will need help will only continue to grow. While Zadroga covers much of their health care needs, there are gaps, as with any insurance. The RPF aims to fill those gaps for our heroes who have sacrificed so much. They purchase motorized scooters, lift systems to get out of bed, provide daily home health care aides when insurance has limits, and so much more. They are raising funds by participating in shows and events, through the support of other foundations, and by hosting their own RPF events.