The Irish People, Vol. 1, No. 11

This edition from the Irish People, issued by Official Sinn Fein in July 1973 offers a good insight into that organisation at that point in time.

One particularly interesting feature is the talk of a Federated State of Ireland, then something that Official Sinn Féin was convinced was a likely outcome of political machinations between Dublin and London. Cormac Dunne’s ‘Viewpoint’ column notes:

When I wrote about a projected joint “security force” from North. and South in the planned Federated State of Ireland little did I think that myprognostications wou Id be so soon confirmed.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Garret Fitzgerald, went on BBC television a few days after. I wrote my piece for this column and said the Irish Government was prepared to discuss joint law enforcement with the Northern authorities if they formed a working executive.

“Joint law enforcement” is merely another way of saying “mopping up disruptive elements” who do not agree with the sell-out of national aspirations or their own particular brand of political allegiance, e.g. republicans and loyalists.

As I said the progress of Britain’s plan for the final solution of the Irish problem is speeding up and becoming daily clearer – and all the time the Irish people wait with apparent apathy. Are we yet aware of the monstrous betrayal that is being perpetrated in our name?

Other pieces look at housing in Cork, an investigation into the Irish landowners Convention, ground rents, the National Association of Tenants Organisations amongst others.

There is a page given to the North including a letter from Belfast from Des O’Hagan.

Comments

You can also join the discussion on The Cedar Lounge Revolution

No Comments yet.

Add a Comment