Sir, —I bought your magazine for the first time recently while waitingfor a train at Heuston Station. I really enjoyed it, but theoutstanding article was by Charlie McGuire on Seán McLoughlin. What afascinating account of this man, and, of course, the epilogue had mereally purring! But can we have more, please? What became of SeánMcLoughlin’s … Read more
Sir,—I was one of the Irish soldiers who took part in the ceremonial transfer of Cork Harbour defences from British to Irish armed forces on 11 July1938. When Chamberlain asked Eamonn de Valera when he would like that transfer to take place, Dev replied, ‘11 July, the seventeenth anniversary of the Truce, 1921’. I was … Read more
Sir,—Reading Patrick Holland’s account of the Unionist meeting in the picture gallery in Kilkenny Castle on 12 October 1912 and Brian Cleary’s account of the Byrne-Perry Summer School, one could not but feel that little has changed over the intervening eighty-three years. Mr. Holland candidly acknowledges the partisan approach of the press coverage of the … Read more
Sir,—Re. Sean Connolly’s passing jab in your Autumn 1995 issue, dismissing as ‘hopelessly anachronistic’ my description of Charles Lucas as a nationalist. It is curious how apparently sophisticated ‘revisionist’ historical interpretations can be simply uncritical regurgitations of contemporary or near-contemporary prejudices. The portrayal of Lucas as a mere corporation politician and anti-Catholic bigot is a … Read more
Sir,—I feel I should step in between Mr Bowman and Professor Boyce, if only to declare a ‘no contest’ (HI Winter 1994). As I said in my book on the 16th (Irish) Division (Ireland’s unknown soldiers), the formation’s infantry (as distinct from its supporting arms) was always largely Catholic Irish. Bowman should not cite my … Read more