The
person whom I have in mind is Mr. Gerry Adams of
Belfast (the birthplace of Irish Republicanism)
who is the President of Provisional Sinn Fein. Now
I am of half planter stock and many of that ethnic
reality like myself became Irish Revolutionary Republicans
so there is nothing wrong with having a planter
name. Even our subject may at one time have been
a revolutionary republican. But if he was to be
asked if he once was would he acknowledge it or
deny it just as he denies ever being a member of
the Provisional Irish Republican Army.
Whatever
we may think of him however Mr Adams has wrought
a place in Irish history. A place to be proud of
as some declare especially his Bogside ally Mr.
Martin McGuinness who is there at Mr. Adams beck
and call. History of course will confirm whether
Gerry Adams warrants to be spoken of in the same
vein as Michael Collins or Cathal Brugha. The latter
of course are miles apart for Brugha died bravely
in defence of the Republic established in the early
years of the last century and Collins helped to
drive that Republic underground. Not alone a crime
against the will of Irish Democracy but a bloody
crime against Irish National Self- Determination!
For as I have expressed in past writings the fruit
of national self- determination is authentic democracy.
The tree of national self- determination was blowing
at the beginning of the last century in the wind
that also shakes the barley and in the turbulence
democracy came forth but unfortunately defeat came
because some leaders sought a step forward rather
than the final step which they had made. Of course
there were the usual shrieks from Britain's leaders
and war lords at the time of threats of terrible
bloodshed and perhaps national genocide but that
should not of warranted surrender via a republican
split. The people had spoken- they had delivered
the Republic proclaimed in 1916 and it should have
been defended. For no group of representatives however
powerful had the right to declare the will of the
Irish people as expressed in the 1918 all Ireland
election null and void. Alas this was done by the
Irish representatives during the then Anglo- Irish
Treaty negotiations.
Interestingly
history has since revealed that Michael Collins
was apparently in touch with the British invader
and occupier some time before the coming republican
split materialized. So is, what has happened in
recent years, a case of history repeating itself.
Bobby Sands defending the Republic and Gerry Adams
declaring perhaps the greatest struggle in our history
for Irish freedom null and void. For as modern history
also reveals Mr. Adams via John Hume was in consultation
in the early years of the 1980s with the present
day representatives of our invader and occupier.
Now
although I have some knowledge of the science of
psychology I would not be adept enough to even try
and understand the mentality of Mr. Adams. An opening
of the door so to speak into the reason for the
greatest act of surrender in the history of Irish
republicanism. Perhaps revealing the existence of
2 or many more Mr. Adams for inspite of the verification
of those in the same guerilla cell as himself our
subject denies ever being a para- military. Yes,
that could be the answer but if so it would be interesting
to discover for historical reasons what Gerry Adams
met the Brits prior to surrender, a surrender confirmed
by weapon decommissioning.
However
it is interesting to be aware when one considers
the mentality of Mr. Adams that mystery still surrounds
the mentality of Michael Collins. Yes, there are
historians of that period of our history who finds
the general's behaviour mystifying. Now admittedly
as human beings we are all a bit of a mystery, a
complexity of forces, a complex of reasoning and
unreasoning. In fact that's what makes us so interesting
and is the basis of Freud's system of psychoanalysis.
For what a mystery is man! For example, at the 2006
Casement Park Hunger Strike Memorial gathering our
man with the planter surname sincerely expressed
the opinion that we would experience a united Ireland
in our lifetime. Now I'm in my mid 60s and I don't
see any sign of it. Partly because Gerry's Provos
have become part of the Brit Machine and reinforced
partition. But then our subject maybe a Methuselah
type and he is talking in terms of his life span
not ours. The Bible character is said to have lived
to 969 years.
Of
course on that occasion the faithful accepted everything
Mr. Adams expressed- lock, stock and barrel. Which
leads me to see the mentalities of the Provo movement's
membership and their supporters as a more intriguing
mystery than the mentality of their leader or that
of Michael Collins. But I'll not go down that road,
better leave it to Ed Moloney to try and psyche
them out. For after all Mr. Moloney, although not
a psychologist, did a pretty good job on the West
Belfast member of the British Parliament in his
book on the Provisional IRA. Of course I do not
believe psychoanalysis to be an exact science but
like all aspects of the mystery of life there exists
insights into that which we label the truth. And
there is a contemporary truth which I subscribe
to and that is the need for all sincere republicans
to come together into a revolutionary movement.
We owe that at least to Bobby Sands and his brave
comrades. But still since the Provo betrayal we
have this group and that group instead of unity
for the purpose of achieving national unity. Which,
to conclude, perhaps implies that there is some
of the man with the planter name in each of us...
Oh for a Cathal Brugha or a Mickey, or a Patsy!
