False surrender line did not originate with Tom Barry

EDITOR – A recent letter-writer Frank O’Connor regrets that Eamon Ó Cuiv, Fianna Fáil TD, is following in the footsteps of Sinn Féin by giving the oration at Kilmichael on November 26th. Every speaker who has given the oration at the annual Kilmichael ambush commemoration over the years has looked on it as a great honour and privilege to be invited, whether they were following in the footsteps of Sinn Féin or not. Numbered among those speakers were two outstanding patriotic priests – Fr Joseph McVeigh of Fermanagh and Fr Des Wilson of Belfast, who stood by their people when others were pounding the pulpits in their condemnation. Other speakers at Kilmichael were Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness of Sinn Féin, who both played a major part in developing the present peace process which has saved thousands of lives.

Kilmichael has become a national shrine of commemoration and remembrance because a band of West Cork men, of resistance fighters of the IRA flying column, were prepared to strike a blow for freedom, risk their lives in taking on the auxiliaries – an elite British terrorist force – on November 28th 1920 and defeated them. We go there annually, not to brag about the deaths of British soldiers, as the writer suggests, but rather to pay tribute to the men who fought there and the three IRA volunteers who gave their lives to end British occupation. Kilmichael still resonates with the Irish people and freedom-loving people everywhere. The IRA were not heavily armed, as the letter writer suggests. They had a rifle and 35 rounds of ammunition each and only a few had revolvers.

Nearly all of this meagre supply of weapons had in fact been captured in engagements with the British, in raids on barracks and coast guard stations.

In contrast to this, the auxiliaries were heavily armed, each having a rifle and two revolvers and no shortage of ammunition if there was a protracted fight.

This brings us to the false surrender.

Mr O’Connor asks us to consider why would the auxiliaries throw down their weapons, pretending to surrender, and then pick them up again while exposed, and then carry on firing. Well, actually, they didn’t have to pick anything up, as they already had loaded revolvers in their holsters. They would have been crack shots with these weapons, and they had no shortage of ammunition for training on a regular basis or for having a few pot shots at the locals from their Crossley tenders.

Quite a number of writers, before Tom Barry put pen to paper on the Kilmichael story, have highlighted the false surrender, including British army general Frank Crozier in 1932. Also, it has recently come to light that as far back as 1924 the false surrender was recorded in correspondence from the southern command of the Irish army, concerning compensation for the dependents of Michael McCarthy, IRA volunteer, killed at Kilmichael.

It would appear that the main aim of the revisionist historians such as Peter Hart who propagated the untruth in the 1990s that there was no false surrender, is to sully the good name of Tom Barry and the flying column of the 111 West Cork Brigade, who were so successful in prosecuting the resistance against the British war machine in the fight for Irish freedom.

Donnchadh Ó Seaghdha, Sinn Féin, Skibbereen.

Our letter writer takes another writer to task for doubting the ‘false surrender’ at Kilmichael.

Shane MacGowan has touched us with his music

EDITOR – People turned out in their droves to pay their respects to iconic genius Shane MacGowan in Dublin and Nenagh. He touched us all with his songs. Fairytale of New York was a worldwide classic, an unforgettable duet with the late Kirsty MacColl. Rainy Night in Soho is another Pogues classic, The Irish Rover another, while Dirty Old Town was penned years before he was born. He leaves behind an everlasting legacy. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Noel Harrington, Kinsale.

Michael Collins has every right to be anti-abortion

EDITOR – I thought the comments made by one of your readers a bit harsh and a little over the top. Is Michael Collins any different from his famous namesake who, over 100 years ago, helped set up a political party which helped shape our present day democracy?

He is obviously tired of the present day political party system which frowns on free speech, and silences TDs within their own parties.

The mainstream political parties seem to me to be pursuing neo-Marxsm policies, which are alien to our country and the Irish people.

He has every right to be against abortion and from day one in politics he has stated that fact.

No harm to remind our political parties there is a good proportion of our people against it.

He also raised concerns about the numbers of people being allowed into this country and that they should be restricted ... must say he has a good point.

May I take the the opportunity to wish this hard-working TD every good luck with his efforts to form a much-needed new political party in Ireland.

Jeremiah McCarthy, Tawnies Grove, Clonakilty.

Support Gaza by exercising your ‘right to choose’

EDITOR – Now that the politicians and civil servants of the so-called free world have turned their backs on the Palestinian people – allowing the government of Israel to continue its daily killing of innocent men, women, and children, in addition to expansion of ‘illegal’ settlements on the West Bank – many people are asking: What can we do?

I am opposed to violence of any sort. During my service with the UN peacekeeping operations, I have seen violence but also the positive results of dialogue.

The UN secretary general is now prohibited from acting in support of the people of Gaza, due to the veto by the US. I am concerned that street gatherings supporting Palestine could generate into violence, particularly against members of Jewish communities which must be avoided.

My suggestion is basic: when shopping – check the origin of an item – if it shows ‘produced in Israel’ or ‘made in Israel’, put it down. Use your own democratic right to choose and walk away.

This, I suggest, is what the average person can do to help the Palestinian people, by using our basic and democratic rights to choose.

Michael A Moriarty, Rochestown.