Betty Sinclair - An Ardoyne Revolutionary

Betty Sinclair (1910-1981)

Elizabeth or Betty Sinclair was born into a working-class Protestant family in the Ardoyne area of North Belfast in 1910. Her father worked at the world-famous, Harland and Wolff Shipyard and was known as a Socialist-Unionist. Betty’s mother was a Reeler in Ewart’s Mill on the nearby Crumlin Road.


After leaving school at fifteen, Betty became a millworker alongside her mum. Like her father, she became an active Trade Unionist and joined the Revolutionary Workers’ Group (RWG) in 1932. A year later RWG established the Communist Party of Ireland (CPI), with Sinclair as one of its founding members.

Betty cut her political teeth during the Outdoor Relief Protests between1932 – 1935. When Belfast Nationalists and Unionists joined together and demanded an improvement in benefits for the unemployed. Betty and other Socialists were violently opposed on the streets by amongst others, the RUC and the Ulster Protestant League (UPL). The UPL was a Loyalist organisation that regularly claimed the ongoing strike was, ‘but a cloak for Sinn Fein Communists who wanted to destroy our province’. It also congratulated the Unionist Regime, RUC and British Army whenever demonstrations by tens of thousands of unemployed workers were brutally broken-up. On one occasion, two demonstrators were shot dead during a non-sectarian rally.

Afterwards, Betty attended the Lenin School in Moscow. As one of its students, she was taught working-class history, imperialist and Soviet economies and Marxist theory. When the All-Ireland CPI dissolved in 1941, Sinclair remained an active member of the Communist Party of Northern Ireland (CPNI) and served as its Secretary from 1942 to 1945. She was also jailed for sedition in 1941 after a sympathetic Irish Republican Army (IRA) article was published in the Party’s newspaper, Unity.

She later stood for the Party in Belfast’s Cromac constituency at the General Election in 1945, taking almost one third of vote cast. She was later elected to the Belfast and District Trade Union Council and was its Secretary from 1947 to 1975.

Sinclair was the Trades Council's representative at talks which founded the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) in 1967 serving as its first Chairperson until 1969, when she resigned claiming it had become dominated by Ultra-Leftists that added to sectarian divisions.

After 1969 she travelled throughout Eastern Europe and in the 1970s lived in Prague as the Irish representative on the editorial board of World Marxist Review. Sadly, she died in 1981 after a lethal fire at her flat in East Belfast. Betty Sinclair was an Irish Revolutionary, Communist and Internationalist. Who played a major role in the struggle for Civil Rights, Equality and Freedom in Ireland and internationally.

Óglaigh Phelim Grant and Charles McCann

Óglach. Charles McCann

A few days after British troops callously murdered fourteen people during an Anti-Internment Rally in Derry. Two Volunteers, Phelim Grant & Charles McCann died on Active Service on February 5th, 1972. Both men were valued members of the North Antrim Brigade of Óglaigh Na hÉireann at the time of their untimely deaths.

The Volunteers had been tasked with making an unexploded bomb safe on a sand barge near Ballyginnif, prior to workers arriving. When the device suddenly exploded killing both Republicans instantly.

Óglach Phelim Grant (32) originally came from the Toome area in the south-west of the county. He is best remembered as a keen GAA enthusiast, good natured and a discreet Republican Activist. He was also a farmer and worked endless hours tending to his animals. A member of the Civil Rights Movement and participated in the infamous Belfast to Derry march which was brutally attacked by the RUC at Burntollet.

Unlike his friend and comrade, Óglach Charles McCann (28) came from the Ardoyne area of North Belfast. Although, his parents and extended originally came from the Toomebridge area. Throughout his childhood, he played for Ardoyne GAC and is remembered as a fine athlete. He was also a very good singer and sang regularly at family weddings.

After learning the plastering trade with his father, Charles returned to Toome and lived with his Uncle Henry. Charles’ death came as a huge shock to his family and friends back in Ardoyne. He was a very quiet and unassuming and only a chosen few knew of his involvement in the IRA.

The two comrades were buried with full military honours and were laid to rest in the Republican Plot in Cargin graveyard. An annual commemoration is held every year in their memory and many Republicans travel from Ardoyne to pay their respects.

Freedom struggles often produce heroes, which we admire and hope to emulate. They inspire us in the work we do and give us energy to carry on when the situation gets difficult.

Fuair siad bás ar son Saoirse na hÉireann

Note: Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a photo of Volunteer. Phelim Grant

An Open Appeal To All Irish Republicans.

A Chairde,

Over the last number of weeks, there have been several allegations circulating – alleged to have been perpetrated by members of the Republican Movement.

There has been mixed reaction to this within the Republican Community, but particularly those within the Provisional republican movement, and those within Sinn Fein Circles. This reaction ranges from outright disgust, horror, condemnation, to the very damaging “turn a blind eye and say nothing” approach. There are obviously people understandably angry as a result – not least the victims. There is a lot of hurt within this community also, hurt which has been compounded by recent contradictions, mistruths, outright denials and certain media spin, which has the potential to deflect away from the real issue – the alleged cover up of paedophilia within certain quarters. Whatever that hurt, there are also families hurting too, people who are trying to come to terms with their lives right across this island, and trying to deal with the fact that members of these families were abused.

There are also parents, rightly angry and worried about their children. People are now backtracking through the years, wondering if their children have come into contact with perpetrators - and they are also rightly questioning if they trust the people they know now. This is a massive issue, and it is a disgrace that alleged child abusers have had free reign to have access to other children. Collectively, we now know more about the issue of sex offenders and reoffending rates. It is likely that perpetrators do not rehabilitate by just simply moving on somewhere else. We know as republicans of a number of cases being discussed at present – is this just the tip of the iceberg? How many more children have been put at risk as a result of mishandling, and in some cases planned facilitation of moving people around the country?

I also want to make it clear, paedophilia is not restricted to members of the Republican Movement. Unfortunately, paedophiles ingratiate themselves in all walks of life. In some instances they are our relatives, friends, priests, professionals, community and youth workers, lawyers, teachers, doctors – the list is endless. No one is blaming the republican movement for members of that movement who inflicted sexual abuse on others.

The blame, however is rightly centred around how the republican movement dealt with the issue, in several cases. It is clear from these cases that not once did the people involved either in so called investigating or in listening, directly report to any of the authorities. They also retraumatised victims of sexual abuse by either their chosen action, or inaction. It is also abundantly clear, for anyone who wishes to take the blinkers off, that paedophiles have been able to move around the country and further afield. In some cases they continued to masquerade as republicans, which in turn afforded them protection, or at the very least a degree of trust, which then also in turn made it easier for them to do what they did, unchecked. That is disgraceful, and brings a deep sense of shame on anyone who continues to support the republican ideology. The fault for this lies squarely with those in positions of power who espoused themselves as the epitome of republicanism, individuals who were looked up to by some, and who now feel tarnished by that association.

There are people out there now who have knowledge in different parts of Ireland on similar allegations of sexual abuse. Are you one of them? There are also people who have heard things on the grapevine about similar alleged cover-ups. Again, does this apply to you?

By not speaking out, you allow yourself to become complicit in the same alleged collective cover-up. I am appealing directly to all republicans from all persuasions to tell what you know. No perpetrator should be allowed to continue to abuse. No movement should give them succour by shielding them. And no republican should sit on the fence on this issue, waiting on other victims to come forward in the hope that the full story should start to emerge.

Be proactive. Do not continue with the legacy of silence. Out all the cases of child and adult sexual abuse. Highlight any suspicion, or knowledge of cover ups. Do this through whatever channel is comfortable for you. An email has been set up, by myself to deal with this issue. If this is an avenue you feel comfortable with using, use it.

I also want to directly appeal to those still within Sinn Fein. I am aware that some of you refuse to believe that this happened at all. People will make up their own minds on the issue. However, as a human, there has to be a shadow of doubt in your mind. Ask the hard questions, and demand an answer. If you are not happy, demand again. No one can afford to put politics over the safety of children. As a human being, you cannot afford to stay silent on this issue. Do the right thing.

Email exposethetruth2010@hotmail.com



Is mise le meas


******* Cahill

Section 44 - Denial of Civil Rights

Ever since the partition of Ireland in 1921, the Northern State and it's armed militas have used Special Powersto quell Nationalist/Republican dissent and resistance. With the advent of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) in 1998, Unionist and Nationalist politicians 'promised' equal rights.

REPRESSION:

Twelve years on, Irish citizens are still denied the right to engage in legitimate political activities which are deemed as 'subversive' by the State. Over the past few years, political groups like the Republican Network for Unity (RNU), the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP), Republican Sinn Fein (RSF), Eirigi and the 32 County Sovereignty Movement (32CSM). Have been regularly targeted by the RUC/PSNI and the British Security Service - MI5 with respective members and their families enduring ever increasing threats, harassment, house searches and of course arrests.

Seemingly, anyone or group who disagrees with the continued British occupation. Are smeared as 'Dissidents' by those who claim to uphold the rule of law in this part of Ireland. This particular word has also been used by Church Leaders, Politicians, Media and the RUC/PSNI to justify the use of Special Legislation powers to detain and arrest 'suspects'.

SECTION 44:

Between January and September last year, the RUC/PSNI stopped and searched over 17,000 under Section 44 of the British government’s ‘Terrorism, Justice and Security Act’. Of these thousands of 'searches', not one person has been convicted of any offence!

On January 12th 2010, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that; “the powers of authorisation and confirmation as well as, those of stop and search under Section 44 & Section 45 of the 2000 (Terrorism) Act are neither sufficiently circumscribed nor subject to adequate legal safeguards against abuse. They are not in accordance with the law.”

By asserting these Special Powers, the British government has violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the Strasbourg Court also ruled that Section 44 is an invasion of people's right to liberty and privacy.

EMPTY PROMISES:

In spite of many promises from the political elite at Stormont regarding the 'New Beginning' to Policing. Alongside MI5, the RUC/PSNI are permitted to bug and record all telephone conversations, texts and e-mails. Stop and search anyone under Section 44 without any suspicion of involvement in a crime. If arrested, they can also take fingerprint and DNA samples as evidence and retain them.

Regardless of honeyed phrases about accountability from Politicians and Civil Liberty groups. They remained fairly silent concerning the deployment of the covert British Army Unit - Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR), the length of time an Irish citizen can be detained without charge was increased from 7 - 28 days. As well as, an increase in punitive action against political activists across the Six Counties.

Sadly political policing, partition and the British occupation are far from being consigned to history....

A Chairde,

Ever since last week's Sunday Tribune article about my younger sister's terrible abuse thirty years ago. My family and I have repeatedly attempted to clarify and re-clarify a number of important points.

Firstly, my brother, sister and I, as well as own families' have endorsed the vast majority of last week's article both publicly and privately.

There were only two parts of the article we felt needed addressing....

At the time, our teenage nephews and niece were not aware of any alleged sexual abuse inflicted on my sister. As such, we felt they wouldn't have been able to handle these allegations being made known so publicly.

For that reason and that alone, we appealed to S. Breen on Friday last, to withhold or postpone printing the said article. When she informed us that the Newspaper had already gone to the Printers...

After a few hours with no further contact from the Tribune, we felt compelled to contact our Solicitor about the whole matter. A couple of hours later, the Solicitor informed us that the paper would not be printing our sister's name, nor the allegations concerning sexual abuse. As one can imagine, we were quite content with this assurance and thus ended the legalities.

Imagine our surprise the following morning to read the very issue we didn't want revealed in the Tribune?

The other point which perplexed us, was the implication that we as a family unit had have contact with the Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams. Whom we told about the abuse and that he'd done nothing to deal with the alleged abuser? Given this, we contacted the Irish News to clarify that, no member of the Meehan Clann ever spoke to the S/F Leader about this case.

In spite of some confusion, our family have not tried to discredit last week's article. We have at all times, tried to be honest with Suzanne Breen and up until last Friday at lunch time....we were more than happy for the whole article to be published, as agreed. The reasons why we changed our minds about full publication, are outlined above.

I also feel the need to stress that no-one from Sinn Fein either directly or indirectly caused my sister to change her mind. It was a family/private matter of which I've tried to explain also above. She is an independent person/woman and a dedicated mother and despite living in the shadows and suffering in silence for over thirty years, she resents the implication.

The issue of child abuse should be a human rights issue. Its victims should not be used as a political football by anyone nor any political party. The victim's rights and privacy should at all times be upheld and respected. After all, these victims have been through the mill and as such, deserve sympathy and support.

Finally, although last week's story did not meet our collective expectation. On behalf of the Meehan Clann, I apoligise to Suzanne Breen and hope this post will go some way in ending the confusion regarding last weeks story. We remain fully supportive of the Sunday Tribune and praise it's efforts in giving victims of sexual abuse a voice...

Is Mise

Mairtin Og Meehan

SUSPENDED IN DENIALS

Over the past week my family has endured a lot of emotional stress since the media first revealed alleged serious mental, physical and sexual abuse suffered by my younger sister thirty years ago….

Within the last few days, her alleged tormentor has issued denials through a Belfast Solicitor’s firm to the Irish News. She also coldly used her own daughter to plead her innocence to the North Belfast News.

Given the strength of numerous reports compiled three decades ago from Social Workers, Medical professionals, Teachers and other witnesses detail a catalogue of horrific physical injuries inflicted on my then ten year-old sister speak volumes and totally challenge carefully- constructed rejections.

These accounts coupled with the anger publically demonstrated at our family home in September, 1980 by over 100 brave Ardoyne women who rightly protested outside to support my sister. Highlighted how she was robbed of her childhood innocence.

For the past thirty years, my sister has suffered in silence because she never wanted to offend our late father,. We hope now that this abuser gets the punishment she deserves. Only then will the children of the late Mrs. Mary and Óglach Martin Meehan get justice.

Thirty Years Later.....

A Republican Tribute

A Chairde,

Irish Republican politics and Socialist principles and traditions have been part and parcel of the history of my clann for well over a century. My great-grandfather, was nominated by the lengendary James Connolly, as Chairperson of the fledgling Belfast Branch of the ICTU, back in 1913. Before Connolly moved to Dublin to play his role to organise the working-classes of the Irish capitol, prior to the Great Lockout and 1916 Rising.

My other great-grandfather, was a member of the National Volunteers before that organisation spilt due to it's Leader's support for the British effort in World War I. He, alongside thousands of his comrades subsequently enlisted in the British Army's Irish Divisons with a solemn promise from John Redmond. That their presence on the Front would ensure the creation of Irish Home Rule. Tragically, he with many others was killed on the French Battlefields in the mistaken belief that his sacrifice would end British rule in Ireland.

During the 1930's my grandfather, James followed in his fathers footsteps and also joined the ICTU as a Docker in Belfast. He later joined the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and was interned for the duration of the Second World War by the Unionist Government. My great-uncle, Martin Clarke was also incarerated in an English gaol for his part in the IRA's English bombing Campaign of 1939-1945.

My late father also was a life-long ICTU member and a former North Belfast Commander of the IRA during the recent Conflict. He also spent over twenty years in various prisons for his activities. For three years my Dad and I shared adjoining cells in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh in the 1990's before his release. After his release, he embraced the Peace Process and was elected as a Sinn Fein Councillor in South Antrim. Narrowly missing out on representing the Party at Stormont.

The last few days have been pretty stressful for my immediate family given recent revelations in the media. In saying that, our thanks must go to the time, energy and endeavours of great investigative journalism from Suzanne Breen of the Sunday Tribune and Allison Morris of the Irish News. As a result of both stories, we have received many, many warm messages of support from neighbours, friends and from people we don't even know!

Therefore, I'd like to clarify a number of related issues on my family's behalf. First of all, my sister did approach the Tribune to tell her story because she had been encouraged by the courage of another victim, Aine Tyrell. In coming forward to name and shame her attacker. Throughout the interview and for days afterwards, my sister was quite content to waive her right to anonymity in order that her alleged attacker would also be exposed.

A day or so before publication she backed out, because she didn't want her own teenage children reading details of the alleged sexual abuse. After all, their mother had never disclosed these details to them before. Based on these fears and to protect her own children, the family immediately contacted the Tribune asking the story not to be published. Sadly, we were subsequently informed that printing had already began and everything and would be published as previously agreed. As such, my Clann felt we had no option but contact our Solicitors in Belfast, Madden & Finucane and instructed them to launch some kind of legal injunction against the article being published. After a few hours discussion between all of those concerned, the Tribune agreed not to publish the above details.

On Sunday morning, we were distressed to have read these particular points in the article. As well, as claims that we had spoken directly to the Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams MP regarding the abuse and our intention to bring the alleged perpetrator before the Courts. Later that evening, we agreed to contact the Irish News and clarify our position and address the claims against Mr. Adams. After all, the Adams family were also suffering with their own ghosts and we respect their troubles.

We did however, notify senior S/F members of our sister's intention to launch a complaint about her grave abuse to the RUC/PSNI and sought an assurance from them that this person would be suspended from the Party. Since that particular meeting, we were never informed by any member of Sinn Fein that she had indeed been suspended.

Earlier today 18/1/10, the Irish News printed the clarification and identified the alleged abuser of our sister. We are also thankful despite belatedly that Sinn Fein have indeed suspended this person. In contacting the Newspaper, we not only wanted to clarify our public position but also of Gerry Adams and the RUC/PSNI. We are also confused, why the alleged abuser had never been charged with these offences. As detailed evidence were archived since late 1980, by the RUC and Belfast Social Services?

We also did not wish for our father's good name and legacy to be further tarnished in future by this alleged abuser. As well as, her dishonour to the noble idealogy of Socialist Republicanism. We hope the above article helps readers understand better, our honourable intentions free from politics?

Is Mise,

Mairtin Og Meehan

Ardoyne