Even although I am now a fully naturalised digital immigrant and read a lot of material online, I still love the feel of a real book.
The day always starts well for me when there is another one is delivered.
I rather suspect that my postie does not share my enthusiasm!
Well, this morning, these arrived up the mountain to me here in Dún na nGall.
Míle buíochas to the fine folks in our national archives who have produced these fine works.
The quality is really exceptional.
For the day that’s in it, I was reminded of the importance of what has gone before me.
And what I owe to it.
On this day, 100 years ago, the West Mayo Flying Column suffered disaster at the hands of the enemy at Kilmeena.
Indeed, it was the closest that Crown Forces came to total victory over the IRA in my father’s county during the Tan War.
It is not in dispute that the Kilmeena ambush was poorly planned by the column commander Michael Kilroy.
However, in the aftermath of the engagement, his leadership in manoeuvring his men to safety and re-grouping showed fine leadership skills.
The following month he would lead them to a stunning victory over the Brits at Carrowkennedy.
Dear reader, the importance of remembering is not to dwell on the past but to help you construct the future.
One hundred years on, this citizen of the Republic of Ireland feels huge gratitude for what that generation endured.
In 1921 the IRA faced a global superpower in the field.
The Brits are now a mid-ranking nation on the world stage.
At Kilmeena 100 years ago, the bad guys won, but their victory was only temporary.
However, the tide of history was ultimately against them, and it still is on this island.
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FFS James on the day (50 years late) your prime minister had to apologise for murders carried out by peacekeepers get a grip
You use a broad white wash brush with your tinted specs view of the IRA. No mention of knee cappings, extortion of the black cab owners, drug dealing or corruption. The UK armed forces were not lillywhite but then neither were the IRA.
I would just like to point out a small detail James Thomas, for when you next engage your thoughts on irish/British history.
Ireland did not invade Britain at any time and subjugate and enslave the local population.
It’s not as simplistic as Britain invading Ireland and subjugating the inhabitants.
The Irish were coming to these shores and taking slaves from them long before the Anglo Norman Invasion of Ireland (Late 12th Century ) which incidentally was the result of the Irish King of Leinster Diarmaid Mac Murchadha being forced from his Seat and Lands by Ruairí Ó Conchúir High King of Ireland.
St Patrick himself was a slave taken from these shores in the late 4th Century.
Also for the record the Anglo Normans weren’t British as Britain wasn’t formed for another 500 years.
This whole situation came about because of Kings and Kingdoms coming under threat or being usurped by enemies with more strength.
Ie powerful men taking power from other powerful men in order to Rule more land and the underclasses who dwelled on them
Dál Raita for example was a Kingdom that spanned both the western part of Scotland and the North of Ireland in the 6th and 7th Centuries before it was absorbed into what we now know as Scotland.
The problem with history is it ends to repeat itself over and over.
Greed and violence tend to be the main constants within it.
Britain being one of the greediest and violent admittedly.
Sorry mate, the Anglo Norman’s as you put it might not have been British as you say but the people who were there before them were called/referred to as the britians.
DNA studies have proven the people came up from Spain and Portugal and the Romans, who called them Britains, referred to them as celts. Most tribes that were classed as “celts” wouldn’t refer to themselves as that. Celts were mainly called that because of their artwork and religious beliefs.
I didn’t know there was such a place called Ireland in the 4th century, the romans called it hibernia. By the 8 century it was the vikings who ruled the place and founded towns/cities such as Dublin.
In the 6th/7th century you never really had countries as we know them today, just clans fighting against each other and stealing livestock.
Didn’t realise there were black cabs and drug dealing in Ireland in the early 1920’s.
Where did you get your information?