Sectarian horror story from War of Independence

IN his feature article headlined ‘Sectarian wind up’ (Irish Examiner, June 26), Niall Meehan seems either to ignore or conveniently forget the facts surrounding the killing of Protestants in the west Cork area in the 1920s.

The massacre in April 1922 was blatantly sectarian and anti-Protestant. Mr Meehan quotes a JW Biggs who, in July 1920, said he experienced no hostility.

Also quoted is the moderator of the Presbyterian Church echoing the same sentiments in June 1920.

Would the same opinions have been proffered a few years later in view of the horrors to come?

To quote the Church of Ireland Gazette of June 16, 1922 concerning the position in east Galway which, like west Cork, saw its share of ethnic cleansing: ” If the campaign against Protestants which has been carried on there since the end of last month is continued in similar intensity for a few weeks more, there will not be a Protestant left in the place. Presbyterians and members of the CoI (Church of Ireland), poor and well-to-do, old and young, widows and children all alike have suffered intimidation, persecution and expulsion”.

One old man and his crippled son had their home destroyed and were left destitute. As I look around the west of Ireland now I observe huge areas where there is not even a single Protestant left, only roofless churches and overgrown graveyards.

It is a huge calumny to say that the Protestants shot in west Cork were ‘informers’. As someone who comes from the nationalist tradition I can say that this term of abuse is trotted out all too easily, like ‘spy’, ‘Free Stater’, ‘Orangeman’, etc.

And what information would isolated, often elderly Protestants have to offer a supposedly secret, well organised force like the IRA?

In west Cork I have in mind the likes of James Buttimer, aged 82 and almost blind; John Bradfield, aged 69 and bedridden; Alexander McKinley and Robert Nagle, boys aged 16; Francis Fitzmaurice, aged 70; Rev Ralph Harbord, and others who would not offer funds or help to the IRA.

I would also remind Mr Meehan and others that all of this took place several months after the Truce was called when hostilities were supposed to have ceased.

When Herbert Woods killed Michael O’Neill during a raid on the home of Woods’ father-in-law, Thomas Hornibrook , all were taken out and killed, including Thomas’s son, Samuel. Their bodies were never found. Might this not be addressed even now?

The Hornibrook home was razed and land taken over — surely the story of the disappeared. It is noteworthy that those outrages were condemned by, among others, Tom Hales, IRA leader, and later by WT Cosgrave, president of the executive council.

Given the times, the divisions and maelstrom of events one could partly understand, if not condone, some of those happenings, but to deny them and trot out the calumny of informer is inexcusable.

Is it that no stain or wrongdoing can ever attach to the republican cause?

Brendan Cafferty

Creggs Road

Ballina

Co Mayo