Click to view
‘Bobby Sands (standing, second from left) on the Brookville amateur soccer team, summer 1976.’
I will post some other photos from the book tomorrow, but this and the 2 following are from Bobby Sands’ new biography:
Nothing But an Unfinished Song - Bobby Sands, the Irish Hunger Striker Who Ignited a Generation
By Denis O’Hearn
2006
Available from Amazon.com >>here.
Click to view
‘The Willowfield Temperance Harriers on a training trip to the Mourne Mountains. Bobby Sands is kneeling, second from left.’
If you are like me, you have been waiting for the biography of Bobby Sands for a long, long time. I am going to put the pics of Bobby up from Nothing But an Unfinished Song because I’m sure many have never seen Bobby outside of the famous photographs that have circulated throughout the world in the almost 25 years since his death. I only wish there were more to post.
Click to view - the caption is under the pic
11/01/2006 - 18:14:03
Dissident republicans planted a bomb in a car stolen from a pensioner’s home in Armagh, it emerged tonight.
The blue Vauxhall Vectra – one of two vehicles seized during the raid – was found loaded with gas cylinder devices in the City Hotel car park.
Military experts carried out controlled explosions on the abandoned car during a major security operation.
It was discovered today as police investigated a robbery at a house on Ballyrath Road, Armagh.
Men describing themselves as republicans stole the Vectra and a silver Peugeot 406 from the property, along with a shotgun.
An elderly woman who was at home when the theft happened late on Tuesday night was left badly shocked.
A Peugeot similar to that stolen was later found on fire on a laneway off the Rock Road, Armagh.
But it was the bomb discovered so close to a busy hotel and nearby police station that provoked a serious alert.
The surrounding area was sealed off and residents had to be evacuated to safety.
As detectives hunted the gang involved, Superintendent Bob Moore, Armagh District Police Commander, hit out at those responsible.
He said: “There are those in our society who for some obscure reason wish to terrorise the entire community with their repugnant activity and redundant mindset.
“The motive for this incident defies logic and rational understanding.
“The attack on the elderly lady can only be described as despicable and the all that has been achieved as a result of the incident at the City Hotel is widespread disruption, worry and upset to the wider community residing, working, visiting or travelling through Armagh.
“It creates a negative impact and undoes all the good work that has and is being done by council, community leaders and the business fraternity to attract employment and tourism to the area.”
Meanwhile, soldiers have defused a pipe bomb in north Belfast.
The device was found against an outside wall of a bar on the Cavehill Road.
Police said a number of items were removed for examination.
Posted on 11/1/2006 at 15:50:01 by IRPWA
Throughout the history of the struggle for Irish freedom both the British and Irish Free State goverments have attempted,through certain sections of the media,to vilify the Republican movement and portray those involved as criminals.This tactic has always been fiercely resisted,nowhere more so than in the prisons where, in 1981,ten men died on hunger strike to achieve their demand for political status.
This state sponsored campaign of slander continues today and is sadly supported by certain elements within prison who continue to issue false and misleading statements in an attempt to undermine the Republican movement and curry favour with the goverment in the hopes of being granted early release.It is in line with this situation that the Republican P.O.W.s on E3 landing take this unprecedented step in releasing the following statement.
Republican prisoners of war,regardless of when or where they have been incarcerated,have always conducted themselves with the dignity befitting their status and such is the case on the E3 landing in Portloise Prison.To be housed on E3 all prisoners must adhere to a strict set of rules regarding their conduct.Failure to comply with these rules warrants dissmissal from the landing,as was the case with a recent individual.Only the highest of standards are expected and received,from the prisoners,none of whom have any criminal records and who would not find themselves in prison were it not for the political situation on this island.There is not nor have there ever been,a case where any prisoners on E3 have sought to be segregated from others.All the P.O.W.s on E3 are united on these issues and are releasing this statement in order to counter recent malicious reports in the media which have tried and failed to sow divisions among those who continue the struggle for a united Ireland.
The Northern Secretary of State Peter Hain MP has just announced in the House of Commons that the controversial NI Offences Bill is to be withdrawn in its entirety. The PFC, Relatives for Justice, Justice for the Forgotten, CAJ, British Irish Rights Watch and the Human Rights Commission all expressed total opposition to this legislation. The legislation was fundamentally flawed. Two principles must be applied in any truth recovery mechanism-
1) the process must be internationalised (the British Government is party to the conflict and cannot define the mechanisms) and
2) the process must be victim centred and allow for information to be supplied to families.
We welcome the fact that this legislation has been withdrawn and call on the British Government to engage in a genuine consultation on the way forward bearing in mind international standards for truth recovery processes.
END
see www.patfinucanecentre.org for details
Army bomb experts carrried out controlled explosions
The Army has defused a car bomb in the grounds of an Armagh hotel.
The device, made up of gas cylinders, was left in a vehicle outside the Armagh City Hotel on the Friary Road.
A number of controlled explosions were carried out on the car, which is thought to have been stolen in the Armagh area on Tuesday night.
PSNI Supterintendent Bob Moore said it was carried out by those who “wanted to terrorise” others with their “repugnant activity and redundant mindset”.
“The motive for this incident defies logic and rational understanding,” he said.
“All that has been achieved as a result of the incident at the City Hotel is widespread disruption, worry and upset to the wider community residing, working, visiting or travelling through Armagh.
“It creates a negative impact and undoes all the good work that has and is being done by council, community leaders and the business fraternity to attract employment and tourism to the area. ”
‘Despicable incident’
Mr Moore said that two cars and a shotgun had been stolen from a house in the Ballyrath area of Armagh before 2300 GMT on Tuesday, by men describing themselves as republicans.
He said an elderly woman in the house suffered shock as a result of what he said was a “despicable” incident.
A vehicle, thought to be one of the stolen cars, was later found on fire.
A Vauxhall Vectra car was found abandoned in the car park of the Armagh City Hotel on Wednesday morning following a telephone call.
Police are trying to establish if it was the car stolen from the Ballyrath Road.
He urged anyone with information about the incident to contact police.
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Eamonn Houston
11/01/2006
British government money allocated to deprived areas of the North must be allocated on the basis of need, a senior Sinn Féin figure said last night.
South Belfast assembly member Alex Maskey made his comments in the wake of an announcement by direct-rule minister David Hanson.
The minister said each pound of government cash funnelled into loyalist communities must be as effective as cash spent in nationalist communities.
Mr Maskey warned the British government that nationalist areas remained the most deprived in the North.
He said: “The reality remains, despite much hype and spin from the British direct-rule administration and the various unionist political parties who have long since abandoned Protestant working-class areas, that on all of the indicators, levels of poverty and deprivation remain higher within nationalist areas. This reality needs to be addressed and tackled.”
Mr Hanson confirmed that plans to be launched in March would focus on how the British government could empower working-class Protestant communities to tackle deprivation in their neighbourhoods.
Mr Hanson said yesterday he believed that loyalist leaders wanted to help raise educational and housing standards in their communities. He reminded them that paramilitary groups needed to do their bit by ending all criminal activity.
“I sense a debate going on within the loyalist groups about how they can move away from criminality.
“What we now have to do is encourage confidence in the political process and show that that type of activity is actually holding back the community.
“We have to ensure the transformation takes place in loyalism as I believe it is doing, slowly but surely, within the IRA,” said Mr Hanson.
Mr Maskey said money “cannot be allocated for reasons of political expediency or on the basis of perception”.
“David Hanson has to be very careful that his crusade in loyalist areas firstly achieves the aim of dealing with deprivation and poverty but, equally importantly, that central agencies do not take their eye off the ball and ensure that all moneys are allocated fairly and on the basis of equality,” he said.
The British government’s plans for deprived loyalist areas will be officially launched in March.
Alan Erwin
11/01/2006
A black woman may be forced to quit a loyalist housing estate after her home was daubed with shocking racist slogans, she said last night.
Alison Antoine (34) woke yesterday to find the words “Die Nigger” spray-painted on the front of the house in Stiles, Co Antrim.
A swastika, the Nazi SS symbol and “White Power” were also scrawled on the Housing Executive property at Rathkyle where she has lived for four years.
Ms Antoine said: “I’m sick of it and don’t know what to do. I’m frightened to walk out onto the street unless I have someone with me.”
The Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities described it as one of the worst incidents of race-hate it had encountered. Executive director Patrick Yu said: “Normally they distribute leaflets, but this time it is targeting a specific family. It’s very serious.”
Ms Antoine, originally from Grenada, moved to Ireland more than 10 years ago to be close to her partner Robert Jones’s family.
Although the unemployed woman stressed most people in Antrim have caused her no trouble, she told how the intimidation from a minority has intensified.
A garden shed was burnt down and her kitchen windows smashed since she moved in to the town, she said.
“I have been victimised because of my colour and had racist names shouted at me, but nothing like this. I don’t know why somebody has done this to me, I wish they would leave me alone,” miss Antoine added.
“It’s making me think about asking to move.”
A Housing Executive order has been issued to have the graffiti removed on Wednesday.
The attack horrified Ken Wilkinson, a Progressive Unionist representative in Antrim. Mr Wilkinson, whose party is aligned to the Ulster Volunteer Force, said the Loyalist Commission he sits on has attempted to stop the spread of racism by distributing leaflets and talking to youths: “These people who come in the dead of night and target a vulnerable girl are scum. They probably cheer-on their favourite football team with five or six black players. My father and his brothers fought to defeat the swastika which represents the murder of six million people,” he said.
“When I see a swastika it insults me and it insults the people I represent.”
Mr Yu also insisted those responsible posed a major threat and urged any witnesses not to stay silent.
“Someone, somewhere saw something and they need to tell the police. One of the difficulties of race-hate crime is when local police say nothing.”
A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman confirmed detectives were investigating a racist attack at Rathkyle.
He said: “Racist slogans were spray-painted on the wall.
“A man and woman were in at the time and it’s thought the incident took place during the hours of 4am to 8am.”
Published: 11 January, 2006
Commenting on the statement today by the British Secretary of State Peter Hain addressing the need for political movement in the time ahead and the issue of OTRs, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said:
Mr Adams said:
“Over recent days both the Taoiseach and the British Secretary of State have said that urgent progress is necessary in restoring the political institutions. Sinn Fein has been pressing for early progress and we will pursue this with the two governments over coming weeks. In the interim the two governments should move quickly on issues under their direct control. These include the issue of political policing, the need for an effective truth recovery process, including the case of Pat Finucane and the issue of OTRs.
“Today’s decision by Mr Hain on the OTR issue is a recognition that the British government legislative proposal was unacceptable. It was a major breach of what was agreed at Weston Park and a serious act of bad faith by the British government. I told the British Prime Minister and the British Secretary of State Peter Hain directly that if the British government was not prepared to change the legislation to remove the inclusion of British state forces then the legislation should be withdrawn. They have now done so.
“However the issue of OTRs must be resolved. Responsibility for this rests with the British government. This is an anomaly which affects only a very small number of people who should be allowed to return to their homes and their families.
“The issue of collusion and state violence is a much more fundamental issue. Sinn Fein, our party activists, families and friends were a primary target for British controlled loyalist death squads. It is critical that the recent focus on the issue of collusion, particularly by those who ignored the issue in the past, is maintained. The families must be supported in their campaign for justice and the truth. Sinn Fein will continue to confront the British government on collusion, state violence and their on-going efforts to hide the truth.” ENDS
Today’s decision to drop the bill proposing an amnesty for fugitive terrorists gives an indication of how the British state really approaches the Irish peace process, writes Henry McDonald
Wednesday January 11, 2006
On the surface the government’s U-turn today on legislation for IRA fugitives appears like a victory for the moderate nationalists of the Social Democratic and Labour party.
Since the so-called “on-the-run” bill came into public focus, the SDLP has led from the front, denouncing it as a sordid deal that abandoned terrorist victims and granted both the IRA and rogue members of the security forces immunity from prosecution or open scrutiny in a court of law.
Given the blows the SDLP was landing on Sinn Féin, accusing republicans of agreeing to a squalid arrangement with their British enemies, the IRA’s political wing beat its own retreat and just before Christmas announced it was withdrawing their support for the OTR legislation.
There is a second explanation, however, as to why Peter Hain revealed that the government was abandoning the OTR scheme, and behind it lies the key as to how the British state really approaches the Irish peace process.
Speaking in the House of Commons, the Northern Ireland secretary told MPs that once Sinn Féin rejected the bill there was no point carrying on as now all the Ulster parties opposed it.
The implication behind his statement was that if the IRA’s political allies had instead insisted on the OTR legislation going ahead (as, of course, yet another confidence-building measure for Irish republicans in the peace process) the government would have pressed ahead regardless of opposition in the Commons and the Lords.
The latter cause for the government U-turn indicates that Sinn Féin and the IRA remain the central concern of the British in the ongoing peace process.
The OTR bill was the product of a secret, side deal between Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and the rest of the republican leadership during all-party talks in Weston Park several years ago.
Tony Blair’s negotiators went behind the backs of the SDLP, Ulster Unionists and Democratic Unionists to strike a bargain with republicans aimed at allowing the IRA fugitives to return.
Even beyond Weston Park there has been ongoing secret contact, much of it involving the prime minister’s chief of staff at Downing Street, Jonathan Powell, the IRA and Sinn Féin high command.
At critical points in the process such as the run-up to the IRA’s historic statement that its “war” was over last summer, Powell was conducting his own form of shuttle diplomacy flying and back and forward on a weekly basis from London to Belfast International airport, where he was picked up by an IRA security team and driven in to the west of the city for talks.
That shuttle diplomacy, although less intense than before, still continues, and the suspicion among the other parties is that further secret promises have been made to the republican leadership.
The official line from Downing Street is that dumping this despised piece of legislation will clear the debris from the road towards a new settlement in Northern Ireland.
Indeed, during his speech to the Commons, Hain called on the parties to join talks in February aimed at restoring devolution.
But so long as the other parties, but principally the main force in Ulster politics, Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists, suspect that further side deals for Sinn Féin are in the offing, they will not take any chances in talks.
These side deals include a promise to Sinn Féin that the administration of justice and control of the police are devolved to the Northern Ireland assembly.
In that scenario it is possible that ex-IRA leaders could be directing justice or policing in Northern Ireland.
And that is something no unionist could support because otherwise they would suffer the same fate as Nobel laureate David Trimble and endure electoral annihilation.
Given the above, it seems more like the DUP will play a long game, waiting and hoping for Tony Blair to leave the pitch before they enter into any serious negotiations with either Prime Minister Brown or even hold out further in the event of a hung parliament following the next election.
· Henry McDonald is Ireland editor of the Observer
11 January 2006 16:58
West Link - Gardaí found bomb in search
A man charged with having a bomb in a car on the M50 motorway in north Dublin last month has been remanded until March at the Special Criminal Court.
Martin O’Rourke, 23, of Sheepmore Grove, Blanchardstown, Dublin, is charged with the unlawful possession of an improvised explosive device at the Westlink Toll Plaza, Castleknock, on 8 December.
He is also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army.
11/01/2006 - 13:23:51
The Co Louth man awaiting retrial on charges connected to the Omagh bombing has hired new legal representation in the form of Belfast solicitor Michael Finucane.
The development was revealed as 53-year-old Colm Murphy made a routine appearance before the non-jury Special Criminal Court today.
Mr Finucane’s father Pat, who was also a solicitor, was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries at his Belfast home in 1989.
Mr Murphy is currently facing a retrial after his conviction for allowing his phones to be used by the Omagh bombers was quashed last January.
11/01/2006 - 13:56:08
The British government has announced its intention to arrange fresh peace talks between the Northern political parties in early February.
The planned negotiations on a return to power-sharing government were announced in the House of Commons today by Northern Secretary Peter Hain.
Power-sharing in the North has been in suspension since October 2002, but Sinn Féin has been pressing for fresh talks since the IRA announced an end to its armed struggle last year.
The Independent Monitoring Commission set up to monitor paramilitary ceasefires is due to issue a report later this month on whether the IRA has lived up to its promise to end all illegal activity.
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