A chara,—A fine article regarding RIC District Inspector Swanzy and the ensuing riots in Lisburn (HI 28.5, Sept./Oct. 2020). One clarification, however, re the assertion that ‘Swanzy was assassinated … by Volunteers of the Cork IRA’. To the best of my research—as substantiated in Richard Abbott’s excellent Police casualties in Ireland 1919–1922 (pp 113–15)—Mick Collins … Read more
Sir,—I was delighted to see that Laurence Fenlon’s piece on ‘Ireland, slavery and the slave trade’ (HI 28.5, Sept./Oct. 2020) recognised the key role played by the jeweller and watchmaker (and United Irishman) Thomas McCabe in preventing that appalling trade from being set up in Belfast in 1786. The plan to set up ‘a company … Read more
Sir,—In the 1844 cartoon illustrating Rob Christie’s article about Abraham Brewster (HI 28.6, Sept./Oct. 2020, p. 21), the figure exiting left is not Brewster, as stated in the caption, but Frederick Shaw (1799–1876), Recorder of Dublin and MP for Dublin University, Robert Peel’s principal Irish political ‘fixer’. The devil’s remark, ‘P’Shaw don’t mind them’, hints … Read more
Sir,—I was surprised to see the famous Jack Lynch quote misquoted (HI 28.5, Sept./Oct. 2020, editorial). I believe he never used the word ‘idly’. Even though it is only one word, it was used by loyalists for propaganda purposes to indicate that an Irish Army invasion of the six counties was imminent, causing widespread hysteria … Read more
Sir,—Fearghal Mac Bhloscaidh discussed revisionist distortions of Irish history (HI 28.6, July/Aug. 2020, Platform) that base themselves on the alleged neutrality of the British state and a correspondingly mistaken view that ‘Irish republicanism is inherently violent, irrational and sectarian’. I agree that that is generally the case. However, established historians reject the suggestion of a … Read more