31 January 1973 On 31 January 1973, the Daily Telegraph quoted Ulster Defence Association leader Tommy Herron admitting that ‘it is futile for us to try to stop them,’ referring to murders by Protestant loyalists. He explained that this was because ‘the renewed bombing onslaught by the Republican rebels is a provocation to them (and) they (Protestant…
30 January 1972 On 30 January 1972, fourteen Catholics were shot dead by soldiers of the First Battalion of the Parachute Regiment in the Bogside district of Derry in what was the biggest massacre of civilians by British troops within the United Kingdom for over two hundred years. Some of those killed, were shot while…
10 January 1798 Major General John Moore disapproved of the enthusiasm with which other British officers committed atrocities in Ireland while suppressing local uprisings against British rule. On 10 January 1798, he made an insightful observation in his diary. He noted that: ‘the mode which has been followed to quiet the disturbances in this country…
BRITISH OFFICIAL ON THE ‘MORAL EVIL’ OF THE ‘SELFISH, TURBULENT’ IRISH 2 December 1846 On 2 December 1846, during Ireland’s great potato famine, Charles Trevelyan, Assistant Secretary at the Treasury and the official responsible for food and work relief, wrote to Colonel Harry Jones, Chairman of the Board of Works, expressing his opinion on the…
‘MODERATE’ MINISTER PRAISES BRITISH REPRISALS AGAINST IRISH CIVILIANS [ 31 October 1920 ] On 31 October 1920, Austen Chamberlain, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was considered a dovish moderate on the issue of Ireland, wrote to his sister reminding her of the benefit of the security forces taking violent acts of retribution against Irish…
KABUL SACKED IN AN ORGY OF FIRE, LOOTING AND ‘WHOLESALE BUTCHERY’ [ 10 October 1842 ] On this day in 1842, British troops used explosives and fire to destroy much of the Afghan capital of Kabul, including the Great Bazar and an adjacent mosque. They also burned down an unknown number of domestic dwellings, slaughtering…
THE TIMES ARGUES IRELAND’S POTATO FAMINE IS ‘A BLESSING’ [ 22 September 1846 ] On 22 September 1846, an editorial in The Times admonished those appealing to London to intervene to ameliorate the catastrophic potato famine in Ireland. Some might go hungry or starve, but this was a necessary evil, which would correct Irish indolence and their…
ENGLISH VISITORS TO IRELAND WARNED OF DANGER FROM BRITISH TROOPS [ 4 September 1920 ] On 4 September 1920, the Daily Herald cited a warning on its front page from a Plymouth businessman to all English visitors to Ireland, at a time when the British Army was waging a brutal counter insurgency campaign against Irish…
BRITISH REPLACE CORONERS COURTS BY ARMY RUN INQUESTS IN TEN IRISH COUNTIES [ 3 September 1920 ] On 3 September 1920, the British authorities in Ireland suspended all coroner’s inquests in the counties of Clare, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Roscommon and Tipperary . The purpose was simple. Prevent any awkward revelations as…
BRITAIN – WE WON’T PAY FOR IRISH FAMINE VICTIMS [ 8 June 1847 ] On 8 June 1847, parliament passed the Poor Law Extension Act which saddled the entire cost of food relief for Irish famine victims on Irish property owners, thereby washing British hands of all financial responsibility. The Act also stipulated that any…
