Susannes Folksong-Notizen
[1965:] A fine song telling the story of a most tragic incident in our country's history. Four Republican soldiers were arrested in Donegal, came before a drum-head court-martial of the 'Freak-State' Officers who were drink-crazed and irresponsible, and were finally shot at dawn by a drunken firing squad. In many cases the 'Free State' forces were more ruthless and sadistic than the notorious Black and Tans, in their tracking down of Republicans. The words are bone-bare and truthful. (Paddy Tunney, notes Dominic Behan, 'Easter Week and After')
[1981:] [Sir] Edward Carson, elected to Parliament in 1892 as a Liberal Unionist [...], Solicitor-General in the last Conservative government, he was probably the most distinguished advocate of the day. In 1910, at the age of fifty-six, he was elected leader of the Irish Unionist group in Parliament. A lanky, rather cadaverous looking man, he had dark hair, hooded eyes and a mouth twisted into a permanent sneer by the scepticism of years of cross-examining witnesses. Though much maligned, he was also admired by his adversaries. He believed utterly that it would be wrong for Ireland to be a separate country [...]. Even before the Home Rule Bill was introduced in April 1912, [...] Carson drew up a constitution for a provisional government of Ulster. (Calton Younger, Arthur Griffith 43f)
[1981:] [On 14 April 1922,] Republicans led by Rory O'Connor seized the great building of the Four Courts and other Dublin buildings. [...] This was a deliberate challenge to the Provisional Government [of Ireland]. [After the assassination of British Filed Marshal Sir Henry Wilson and the kidnapping of the Free State Army's Chief of Staff,] Churchill warned that, 'if through weakness, want of courage or some other less creditable reason' the occupation of the Four Courts was not brought to an end, the British Government would regard the Treaty as 'having been formally violated'. [...]
At a meeting of the Provisional Government and National Army leaders on 27 June, it was decided that 'notices should be served on the armed men in illegal occupation of the Four Courts[...]'. The ultimatum was rejected, and, in the early hours of 28 June, with four eighteen-pounder guns borrowed from the British, the National Army began its assault. [...] Not until the afternoon of 30 June, after they had been driven into one section of the building, did the garrison surrender. [...] The Four Courts battle had precipitated action in many parts of the country. It was clear now that the split in the IRA was irremediable. (Calton Younger, Arthur Griffith 148ff)
See also: Calton Younger, Ireland's Civil War (Fontana 1979)
[1998:] History: The Drumboe
executions
Aengus O Snodaigh on the 75th
anniversary of the execution of four Republican prisoners captured
by pro-treaty forces in the Civil War in 1923.
http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/irl-news/1998-03/0032.html
See also : http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=30464
- http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=30464
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