Who condemns the IRA?
Richard West
Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh The whole of Ireland, South and North, is Still in a state of excitement about the IRA hunger strikers; but now they are more of a worry to Dublin's government than to London's. Here in Fermanagh and South Tyrone a by-election is due to be held on 20 August to replace as Westminster MP the Prisoner Robert Sands, whose brief parliamentary life was ended in May by suicide through starvation. This second by-election was forced through by a Welsh Nationalist MP — much to the anger of Mrs Thatcher's Government and Northern Irish MPs such as Gerry Fitt, who fear the timing will only Prolong and inflame the hunger strike issue. One of the H-block men was elected in the Republic in Ireland's recent general election. He was Kieran Doherty, who survived 73 days without food, or nearly as long as the legendary Mayor of Cork in 1922. But thanks to different constitutional rules in the Dail, or Irish Parliament, there has been no move for an early by-election Which could prove embarrassing for Dr Pitzgerald's government and indeed for the oPPosition.
If one studies the statements of public men after the H-block deaths, it is clear that Dublin politicians and press are far more condemnatory of the IRA, and less condemnatory of the British Government than a, re the Nationalist politicians and journal iStS of the Border. For instance, Dr nizgerald lays the full blame for the crisis On the IRA and only accuses the British of failing to take it all seriously enough; his Message expressing support for the family of the dead Kieran Doherty also included a Message of outrage over the murder of two k)yal Ulster Constabulary men. By contast, the Northern Catholics are cautious of condemning the IRA. The Irish News is full Of obituary notices on the lines of 'Oh God's curse on you England, you cruel hearted monster' and invocations to Mary Queen of Ireland. The SDLP, the Catholic Labour Party, are worried about losing support if they do not sound angry enough over the plight of the men in the Maze. Now they have decided not to put up a candidate here in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, against the candidate of the hunger strikers.
There is also a difference between North and South in the attitudes of the Catholic clergy. The bishops throughout the island are strongly against the IRA, as is the brave Bishop of Derry, Edward Daly. So was the priest who, this week in County Derry, refused to wear his vestments at a hunger striker's funeral because the terrorists fired off a 'military' salute. Then there is the attitude of Cardinal Archbishop O'Fee of Armagh, who himself comes from the turbulent south of that county. One must be cautious here since there are signs that certain Republican Irish priests have discovered the wonders of the libel• laws (not to be confused with the name of the small town Lisbellaw, near Enniskillen); one does not want to give offence but what does one make of the Archbishop when on Sunday, according to a newspaper, he 'begged the prisoners to call off their protest saying that they had already proved their courage and self-sacrifice and no further proof was needed. He said the Government should announce publicly and in detail the reforms it would bring in once the fast was halted.' It should be pointed out that these men 'who have already proved their courage and self-sacrifice' are in prison because, at the very least, they were found in possession of arms and explosives to use on behalf of a terrorist organisation. One of those who died was a multiple murderer. Another had carried out 'punishment wounding' which means the infliction of torture like shooting or drilling through the knee-caps. Is not the Cardinal making heroes out of such men when he praises their courage and selfsacrifice?
The pagan British never give weight enough to the power of the churches in Ireland. In Enniskillen at lunchtime on Monday, the pub was abruptly shut and its occupants were invited onto the pavement to watch the funeral of an elderly priest. About 600 people trooped down the street before and after the coffin, past rows of saluting scouts, brownies and cubs. Although the Protestant shops stayed open, a large part of the town came to a halt in respect for a popular local man. There must have been 40 or 50 priests in the cortege. I mention this just to remind people in England that not all Irish funerals are a matter for black sashes and small arms fire. Yet most of the people who turned up for this funeral probably also voted for Robert Sands and will vote in a fortnight for a successor.
The southern part of County Fermanagh has suffered a great many murders in recent years, mostly by the IRA against Protestant farmers. Enniskillen itself is fairly evenly split, and the tension is only disguised by that ever baffling Irish civility. A stranger is bidden 'Good day'; there is no shortage of conversation; there are lots of hitchhikers around although, by the law of averages, they must often be given a lift by someone of the other sectarian group.
Even the Catholic and Protestant local weekly papers keep up the good manners of journalism. Both the current issues have similar articles from South Africa comparing the tribal problems there with Ulster. The Protestant paper, The Impartial Reporter, is 155 years old and carries a column of 150 years ago: 'Fermanagh Assizes — Susan Donaghy was accused of stealing tobacco, tea, wearing apparel, etc., the property of Elizabeth Fitzpatrick of Butler's Bridge, Cavan. She appeared to be a turbulent, loquacious lady, abused the prosecutrix in open court and said if she was transported, it would be in good time. Guilty — 7 years transportation.'
To hear some of the grumbling, one might think that those bad old days were with us still. But in spite of the high unemployment in Northern Ireland, many people have money to spare. 'There's a factory here,' said an old man, 'they're just about to be closed but before it happened they clubbed together to go to Miami and when they came back they had money still in their pockets. There's 20 people I personally know in Enniskillen who've gone to Greece this year for their holidays.'
Previous page
