Valuable new book tells of Tyrone in a period of upheaval

(This piece was first published in An tUltach, July-August 2014)

Baineann leabhar Fheargail Mhic Bhloscaidh ‘The Irish Revolution 1920-23 Tyrone’ lena dhúchas féin. Léim sin amach chugam thart ar bhomaite i ndiaidh buaileadh leis sa Chultúrlann i mBéal Feirste. Go fiú sula bhfuaireamar cúinne ciúin thuas staighre sa Chultúrlann le labhairt, bhí sé ag gabháil don ábhar.

Is as Dún Geanainn dó, gur Poblachtach agus Marcsach é, é anois ina mhúinteoir i gColáiste Feirste. “Is as cúlra measartha poblachtánach mé, agus bhí mé i gcónaí i mo bhall den lucht oibre,” ar seisean. Agus é ag fás aníos, bhí scéalta fá Tom Clarke, agus poblachtaigh aitheanta eile an cheantair, thart air. “Níor chuala mé faoi na rudaí seo ar scoil, ach bhí siad i gcónaí sa chúlra,” ar seisean.

Thug sé bua leis óna óige. “Bhí mé ceisteach mar dhuine óg, agus sin an rud is tábhachtaí faoin stair,” ar seisean. Rinne sé freastal ar Acadamh Naomh Pádraig i nDún Geanainn, tráth dá raibh an tAthair Denis Faul ina Ard-Mháistir. Ní bhíodh siad bheirt ar aon intinn. Bhí sé d’ádh air go raibh múinteoir staire den céad scoth aige, Vivienne Quinn, a spreag é agus é ag gabháil don Ard-Léibhéal.

Rinne sé staidéar ar an stair in Ollscoil na Banríona, eispéireas mí-shásúil. “Bhí an áit sáite leis an athbhreithniúchas, agus bhí rogha ann, nó glacadh le seo agus mo dhearcadh féin a athrú, nó b’fhéidir dul tríd an próiséas ar fad agus rud éigean a chruthú,” ar seisean. Bhí Feargal díríthe ar “stair ón bun, stair na ngnáth-daoine” agus shocraigh sé leanúint leis an ábhar “an stair ó mo dhearcadh féin, ní dearcadh na h-ollscoile, agus sin an rud atá déanta agam leis an leabhar beag seo.”

Trín staidéar mhéadaigh a thuiscint ar stair Thír Eoghan. “D’fhoghlaim mé gur imir muintir Thír Eoghan, agus ach go háirithe beirt eile, tionchar ar stair na réime seo, ná Joseph McGarrity agus Pádraig McCartan (beirt ón dTearmann – A Mac C),” ar seisean. Tháinig siad amach as traidisiún láidir poblachtach.

“Agus ansin thuig mé féin gur tháinig mé ón gcúlra céanna, agus gur fhág mo shinsear agus mo mhuintir féin lorg ar stair an chontae,” ar seiseann. “Sula bhfuair sí bás cúpla bliain ó shoin, rinne mé comhrá den scoth le mo sheanmháthair, mo Mhamó. Mar bhí mé ag déanamh taighde sna nuachtáin, agus fuair mé amach go raibh mó shin-seanathair, gur cuireadh faoi ghlas é ar feadh míosa nó bhí sé ag glacadh páirte i stailc agus go ndearna sé ionsaí ar cheann de na cosa dubha, na blacklegs. Agus chuaigh mé isteach sa chartlann chomh maith, agus nach raibh ainm s’aige scríofa ar an rolla a bhí ag na hÓglaigh.”

Rud a théann i bhfeidhm ar Fheargal “an neart a bhí ag an phoblachtachas i measc na ngnáth-daoine i dTír Eoghan.” Dar leis gur “scríobhadh poblachtánaigh Thír Eoghan amach as an stair,” nó “stair na ndaoine seo, ní cluintear faoi sna hollscoileanna.” Cinnte,bhí ról cinniúnach ag polaiteoirí agus eile “ach tá ról ar leith ag na gnáth-daoine.”

Bhí ról ar leith ag na Fíníní. “Má amharcann tú ar na Fíníní i dTír Eoghan, tagann siad ó cúlra thar a bheith bocht,” ar seisean. “Chuir na péas síos orthu mar ‘lacking completely in intelligence and influence’” Tá ard-mheas ag Feargal orthu. “Bhí na daoine seo ar an eite clé,” ar seisean. “Má amharcann tú ar an Phoblachtachas, tá comhionnannas mar dhlúth-chuid. Ní amháin go raibh na daoine bochta seo gafa leis an Phoblachtachas. Bhí siad ag éirí domhain níos fearr a chruthú amach anseo, nó domhain níos cothroime. Agus d’amharc siad ar an saol mar a bhí i dTír Eoghan, ní amháin ó thaobh na nAontachtaithe, ach ó thaobh na Náisiúnaithe, agus an tionchar a bhí ag baicle beag ar pholaitíocht an náisiúnachais i dTír Eoghan. Agus sheas siad ina éadan seo.”

Tá sampla de sprid na bpoblachtánach sa leabhar. Bhí an ciorcal de chuid Bhráithreachais na Poblachta in Ard Both ag bailiú airgid le gunnaí a cheannach. Nuair a chuala siad an géarleanúint a bhí dá dhéanamh ar náisiúnaithe na hInde, chuir siad sciar den airgead chucusan chun cudiú leis an streachailt ansin.

Bhí tábhacht leis an oidhreacht a fuair Poblachtánaithe Thír Eoghan ó na hÉireannaigh Aontaithe. “Bhí rogha acu,” ar seisean. “Bhí Ord Ársa na nIbeirneach ann, agus b’eagraíocht sin a bhí seicteach go smior, mar cinéal íomhá scáthanach den Ord Buí.” Cáineann sé thraidisiún an náisiúnachais bunreachtúla. “An fadhb atá agamsa leis an náisiúnachas bunreachtúil, ní raibh ansin ach íomhá scathánach den seicteachas sin,” ar seisean. Bhí an poblachtachas ag éirí sin a bhriseadh - ach dar leis an t-athbhreithiúnas tá an Poblachtánachas foréigneach go smior, frithgníomhach.

Cuireann lucht an athbhreithiúnachais fearg air, nó cuirtear síos ar na daoine atá ag éirí saol níos fearr a chruthú mar frithgníomhaithe: agus ar an mhuintir atá dá gcoinneáil síos mar íobartaigh. Ar ndóigh “na buaiteoirí a scríobhann an stair.”

Séanann sé aon cur chuige cúng, náisiúnach, nó tá tuigbheáil ar chúrsaí idirnáisiúnta riachtanach le stair na hÉireann a thuiscint, go háirithe tuigbhéail ar an streachailt ar son an daonlathais i Sasana. “Ní thig leat rudaí sa tír seo a thuiscint gan rudaí a bhí ag tarlú in áiteanna eile,” ar seisean. “Cad chuige gur roghnaigh Coiméadaigh Shasana ceist Uladh chun seasamh in éadan dul chun cinn daonlathais Shasana?”

Ainneoin chomh h-eolach agus a bhí sé ar an ábhar, tháinig sé ar eolas  nua ina chuid taighde: “Neart an cheardchumannachais, agus treas an scoilt seicteach i naoi gcéad déag is a h-ocht déag agus naoi gcéad déag is a naoi déag. Nuair a smaoiníonn tú ar Réabhlóid na hÉireann, smaoiníonn tú ar Sinn Féin agus Óglaigh na hÉireann. Naoin gcéad déag is a hocht déag agus naoi gcéad déag agus a naoi déag i dTír Eoghan, bhí na ceardchumainn ní ba thábhachtaí. Bhí stailceanna ann ar fud Thír Eoghan. Bhí siad ag tarlú sna bailtí móra agus faoin dtuath. Bhí sé do-creidte. Má amharcann tú istigh sa leabhar, bhí b’fhéidir níos mó daoine bainte leis an chinéal sin polaitíochta ná mar a bhí gníomhach le Sinn Féin.”

Níl meas aige ar Shinn Féin na linne sin. “Bhí Sinn Féin mar chuid den fríth-Réabhlóid i dTír Eoghan,” ar seisean. “Nó an rud a tharla gur, na daoine a bhí i gceannas ar an náisiúnachas bunreachtúil, chonaic siad an dóigh go raibh an pobal ag dul, léim siad ar bórd, fuair siad gréim ar an rud, agus thacht siad an réabhlóideachas as. Tá litir a scríobh George Murnaghan ar an Ómaigh, agus dúirt sé: ‘Ní creidim sa Phoblacht. Ní creidim sa Phoblachtachas. Ach is fearr a bheith anseo leis an rud a stiúrú.”

An dream seo “thosaigh siad amach mar an Irish National Leagus, agus b’shin iar-bunreachtúlaithe, meascán scarúnaithe bunreachtúla agus na Healyites. Na Healyites, b’shin an dream ba coiméadaí i dTír Eoghan, agus chríochnaigh siad ar an dream a bhí i gceannas ar an Phoblachtachas – gur sheas siad go huile is go hiomlán ina éadán, go bhfaca siad an dóigh go raibh an ghaoth ag séideadh.”

Rinne siad seo feall ar a muintir féin, nó ghlac siad leis an Críochdeighilt, gur scuab Poblachtaigh Thír Eoghan isteach i stát nua an Tuaiscirt. Críochnaíonn an leabhar leis an úafás sin.

‘The Irish Revolution 19120-23 Tyrone’ le Fergal McCluskey. Four Courts Press. €19.95

Bill Webster - lifelong socialist steeped in the labour movement

(A slighly edited version of this piece was published in the 'Irish Times' of Saturday, August 23rd

Bill Webster – born October 23^rd 1941, died August 8^th 2014

Bill Webster, who has died in his adopted home of Derry after a long illness, was a veteran socialist, and stalwart of the trade union movement in that city. Most of his life he spent campaigning against injustice and exploitation. He was a self-taught working-class intellectual, with a profound knowledge of literature, history, and socialist theories. That self-education was completed in middle-age by a degree in anthropology at the University of Ulster.

He had a spirit of solidarity and was always available to assist workers in difficulties. Backing wasn’t just moral. When a friend was sacked for union activity, Webster arrived at the house to express support – with a sack of potatoes on his shoulder for the family.

He was one of the earliest members in Ireland of the Militant Tendency, precursor of the Socialist Party. His most intense activity was during the 1970s, extremely difficult years for socialists and trade unionists in the North. Webster’s arguments that workers should unite seemed totally at odds with reality.

Webster was steeped in the working-class movement. He was born in Liverpool in October 1941, youngest of four children and the only boy, to William Webster, a seaman, and his wife Lily (née Cooper). His father was a Communist, and had been a courier for the Communist International. After school, Webster joined the Royal Navy for a decade. He then became a merchant seaman, before becoming an official with the General and Municipal Workers Union. He also joined the Militant Tendency in Britain – soon leaving a secure and relatively well-paid union job to become the industrial organiser of a small left wing group, because he believed that was the right thing to do.

Through Militant, he met Eileen Cullen from Belfast: they married in Derry in 1975. He became part of that city’s fabric. He tied into Derry’s tradition of radical labour politics, helping reorganise the Derry Labour Party in the mid-1970s.  

Above all, he was a man of immense humanity. There was nothing he liked more than sitting up till dawn having a lively argument, preferably about politics. He lived by the principles of one of his favourite poems, ‘Democracy’ by Langston Hughes’: “Democracy will not come/ Today, this year/ Nor ever/ Through compromise and fear.”

Bill Webster is survived by his wife, Eileen: his daughters Caroline and Mary Elizabeth: his son Matthew Anthony: and his sisters Evelyn, Joan and Vera.

Paddy Finnegan - poet, scholar, and Big Issue seller



(This obituary was first published in the Irish Times Saturday August 16th 2014)

Paddy Finnegan – Born December 31^st 1942, died July 16^th 2014

Paddy Finnegan, who has died suddenly in his adopted home city of Dublin, was exceptionally learned, and an acute observer of the world. Finnegan made an impact as a poet, as Gaeilge and in English: as a bus conductor operating out of Donnybrook Bus Garage: as a long-term student of UCD, who never graduated, but enriched the lives of many who met him: and, in later years, as a seller of ‘The Big Issues’, first outside Trinity College, then in Grafton St.

At UCD he undertook a degree in Irish and English, always passing Irish. Why he failed to pass English is surprising. He claimed not to have applied himself sufficiently to his studies, but also lacked confidence.  

Finnegan was learned in Latin and Greek as well as Irish and English. For all, he was modest about his talents. They resulted in his being chosen as to translate Yeats’ ‘The Lake Isle of Inisfree’ into Irish: and contributing to a book to mark the 60^th birthday of poet Brendan Kennelly.

He published one collection of poems, contributed to several others, and issued a number of CDs. One of his poems dealt with being barred from McDaid’s, the literary pub: “No damsels fair of exotic race/ frequent my present drinking place/ no artist Dante’s famed niche could fill/ or writer equal Johnston’s quill.” His poems suited declamation in his gravelly East Galway accent.

Patrick Joseph Finnegan was born in Dereen, near Kilkerrin in East Galway, on the last day of 1942, third of five children to Michael Finnegan and his wife Mary (née Kelly). In his youth, he knew older locals who were native Irish speakers. He was educated at the Franciscan Brothers’ National School in Kilkerrin, then won a scholarship to St Jarlath’s College in Tuam, where he excelled academically. After school, he worked as a civil servant and a bus conductor with CIE Dublin City Services (now Dublin Bus). His exploits passed into the folklore of Dublin busworkers.

Selling ‘The Big Issues’ was the nearest he came to a career suiting his talents. He was a prodigious seller, first outside Trinity College, then in Grafton Street. He stood silently, holding the magazine aloft. He explained: “I do not cry my wares. I do not compete with the internal combustion engine and the other unpleasant street noises… there are enough lunatics, winos and gobbaloons roaring and shouting to themselves. I should not like to be confused with one of those.”

Those who knew him would never have made that mistake.

He is survived by his sisters Maragret and Sara, and brother Jimmy. He was predeceased by his sister Bridget.

 Straight-talking minister was an expert diver 

(first published in the 'Irish Times' of August 2nd 2014)

Stewart Jones – born September 8^th 1957, died July 12^th 2014

The Reverend Doctor Stewart Jones, who has died in a diving accident in Donegal Bay, was a straight-talking Presbyterian minister who combined academic distinction with a love and aptitude for the pastoral care of his flock: and with being an expert diver.

At the time of his death he was minister of Donemana, Co Tyrone, and Presbyterian chaplain to Derry’s Altnagelvin Hospital. His work helped make Donemana a vibrant congregation, reaching out into the community.

Reverend Jones held Masters degrees in Theology, Information Technology and Arts, and a D.Phil in History. He had written books on the history of Ulster Unionism: the history and politics of the Middle East: and on Biblical Studies, ‘Through The Bible in 365 Days’.

Additionally, he was among the best-qualified divers in Ireland. He took up the sport in his early 40s, mastering it to become a top-class instructor. On the week after his death, he had been due to undertake another training course.

Stewart Robert Jones was born in September 1957 in Bessbrook, South Armagh, eldest of three children to Jimmy Jones, a landscape gardener and scout leader, and his wife Bea (née Stewart). He received primary education at Bessbrook Primary School, where a teacher inspired his future studies – by disparaging his academic ability. His secondary education was at Newry High School. On leaving school, he felt the call to the Ministry, combining studies at Queen’s University and Union Theological College.

He began his ministry in East Belfast. Then he became minister of Second Castlederg, Co Tyrone, and Alt, Co Donegal. His Castlederg congregation had suffered badly in the Troubles. That ministry was followed by Kilcooley in Bangor, a deprived Loyalist estate. Donemana and the chaplaincy to Altnagelvin were his final charges. He participated in building a relationship between the Donemana congregation and the Mtunthama congregation in Malawi. He served as Moderator of the Foyle Presbytery. He was also very involved in Churches Together and the Irish Churches’ Peace Project. Through his many activities he made close friendships across denominational and sectarian divides.

His last words summarise the man. He was diving with a younger friend when the two were caught by a freak wave. He told his companion: “I’m done. Save yourself.”

He is survived by his wife, Patricia; daughters Anna, Esther and Rachel: and grandchildren Josh and Lily.