My understanding of Harts version is it was entirely based on one account and completely ignored all the others which completely contradicted it.
Anyway. These are the same lads who would have executed any of the Irish lads on the spot with no qualms and when they couldnāt catch them, regularly shot innocent civilians and burned down towns. Fuck em in other words
No denying that in fairness.
You couldnāt shoot enough of them
Any good books on it?
Tom Barryās own book Guerilla Days in Ireland is excellent (but obviously his own take things). Well worth a read.
The grandfather used to say āBarry was some operatorā
Harts research was based on an uncorroborated witness. In other words he could have made the whole thing up. It always interested me on how many historians from US particularly around Boston and Canada specialised in Irish history. Anyway thats an aside. Iām not sure of what Harts motives were but maybe he just wanted a new ātakeā on the whole episode on what was a seminal moment for Irish Anglo relations.
Anyway even If there was a surrender (false or otherwise) what would the lads have done. Take them captive, and then what. Ultimately they would have been released back into general army circulation again. They would have returned and rinsed the place and after identifying all participants executed them.
Every year you guys rememberā¦ thanks gentsā¦ Itās not till tomorrow but I got myself a little treat thereā¦
Hart appeared a complete fucking oddball and contrarian to me. In that TG4 documentary when he is questioned about his āsourceā he is clearly talking shite and knows he ran with half a story.
Anyway, false surrender or no false surrender, those Auxies got what was coming to them, and a week on from Bloody Sunday, there was no way they were leaving that lonely spot alive.
Iāll have it blaring during the breakfast tomorrow morning ā¦ who feared not the might of the foeā¦ the day that they marched into battle and they laid all the Black & Tans lowā¦
Did you ever read āGuests of the Nationā?
Thereās actually great imagery in the song. Its a cut above other songs from the era.
āThe sun in the west it was sinking,
On the eve of a cold winters dayā
Have you read or heard of āSing Singā in Knockraha,
I remember reading a very good book called āyear of the dissapearancesā when it was published some years ago, again less than complimentary about IRA tactics and brutality, probably controversial but a good book nonetheless.
Deidre McMahon in Mary I was a big supporter of Hart to my memory @Thomas_Brady
Iāve passed sing sing tonnes of times but never had a lookā¦ Sis in law lives up the roadā¦ Thereās also a plaque in Knockraha town for the commander killed with 9 other Irish troops in Congo in 1960ā¦ Random bit of history for a tiny village
Was that Martin Corrys little man cave?
No do you recommend?
Ah Deirdre. Sheād an awful stutter the misfortune, but a good lecturer. She wasnāt my cup of tea at times but I remember her sticking it to Churchill in one lecture regarding Devs radio broadcast in the aftermath of WWII
Thatās a wonderful book. Many, many years ago. Canāt remember who wrote it but Iād recommend it.
A brilliant Short story by Frank OāConnor
Didnāt William Trevor have a story dealing with a similar theme
Yes, a very good short story. I read it for the intercert.