Mála Poist

'An Phoblacht' welcomes readers' letters. Letters in Irish or English should be kept short (no more than 200 words) and typed or handwritten clearly, double-spaced and on one side of the paper only. Name and address should be supplied for verification, but these will not be published if we are so requested.

Cuireann 'An Phoblacht' fáilte roimh litreacha ónár léitheoirí. Scríobh i nGaeilge nó i mBéarla. Is fearr litreacha gearra (200 focal ar a méid) clóscríofa nó lámhscríofa go soiléir ar thaobh amháin den leathanach. Cuir ainm agus seoladh leis ach ní fhoilseoimid iad seo más é do thoil.

Dublin/Monaghan bomb revelation

A chara,

The revelation in The Irish News 29 August that the British government was aware of the identity of the perpetrators of the Dublin/Monaghan bombings almost immediately will come as no surprise to republicans and the victims' groups. A Northern Ireland Office memo has been uncovered which relates to a meeting between 26 county Ministers Garrett Fitzgerald and Jim Tully as well as British PM Harold Wilson as well as then direct ruler Merlyn Rees. Its significance lies in the fact that it is the first time proof has emerged that both the British and Irish Governments knew who the perpetrators were. Rees claimed at the meeting that he had interned the individuals but that the nature of the evidence precluded criminal charges. The reaction of the 26 county ministers is not recorded.

Fitzgerald is on record though as saying he was not informed of the identities of the bombers. He claims it would have been unconstitutional for him to press the Gardaí on the matter as the issue of separation of powers arose. Unfortunately for him the very week he made that statement a letter released under the British freedom of information act flatly contradicted him when it emerged that he had intervened in the Garda investigation into the arrest of a group of heavily armed SAS men in Louth during 1974 shortly after the Dublin Monaghan bombings.

It is becoming clear that the Irish establishment has as much to hide as the British in relation to the bombings. Thirty three people were killed in the 26 Counties that day, the largest act of mass murder in the history of the state.

It is to be hoped that the ongoing McAntee investigation into the bombings will finally shed some light on the murky events surrounding the bombings.

Is Mise,

Pat Quinn,

Dublin 7.

Seán Glynn anniversary

A chara,

This year marks a number of important anniversaries in the republican calendar. As well as the 90th Anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising and the 25th Anniversary of the 1981 Hunger Strikes it also sees the 70th anniversary of the death of Seán Glynn. Seán was a young IRA Volunteer who died in Arbour Hill prison in 1936.

Seán Glynn was amongst a group of Limerick Republicans arrested on their way to the annual Wolfe Tone Bodenstown Commemoration on 21 June 1936 in Kildare. The commemoration was banned by the Fianna Fáil government of the day. Seán was amongst 18 Limerick men who were sentenced to prison terms for attempting to attend the commemoration. Following a particularly brutal and inhumane prison regime Seán died in September 1936.

To remember this young Volunteer a simple commemorative service organised by Limerick Sinn Féin will be held in Limerick City on Sunday 10 September. We are urging people to attend and assemble at 2.30pm at the Munster Fair Tavern in Mulgrave Street. For further information please contact us on 087 825 8125.

Is mise,

Maurice Quinlivan,

Limerick Sinn Féin.

Boycott Coke

A chara,

In relation to Donal O'Driscoll's letter (An Phoblacht 24 Lúnasa) with which I fully agree, I was shocked to see bottles of Coca Cola on sale just inside the gates of Casement Park during the rally in memory of the Hunger Strikers, and the amount of Sinn Féin members buying the stuff. As Dónal points out Sinn Féin is a supporter of the Coca Cola boycott. I think it's about time we stopped paying lip service to campaigns we support and start getting involved in them. The least we can do is boycott the stuff ourselves and try to get our family and friends to do the same.

For more information check out www.killercoke.org

Is Mise,

B Ó Curraoin,

BÁC & Contae na Mí.