One last propaganda victory for the IRA came after involvement from NORAID (the Irish Northern Aid Committee), which was the main source of U.S. funds for the IRA. “By 1923, the IRA had gone underground. To raise monies for its activities, members engaged in educational and agitational speaking tours, some traveling to the United States where there was strong Irish sentiment in the Irish-American communities” (Hamilton, 368). These communities soon aligned together to form NORAID. It is rumored that some of the money raised by NORAID went to supplying guns for the IRA. In any case, when these Americans joined Irish marchers in a parade in Belfast on the morning of August 12, 1984, they came under surprise attack and gun fire of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. The RUC justified their shootings as an attack on Martin Galvin, leader of NORAID who was banned from North Ireland, by saying that he showed up in the crowd to make a public speech alongside Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams (Belfrage, 137). In their attempt to capture Galvin, the RUC fired off rounds of plastic bullets at point-blank range into the crowd. In the end, twenty people were injured, one man was killed and many more hospitalized. Furthermore, Galvin was never found. “The British Northern Ireland office backed the constabulary stating ?it is clear that there was an organized attempt to attack the security forces” (Belfrage, 138). Consequently, everyone talked about Sinn Fein?s propaganda victory.
Despite the ongoing bloodshed and propaganda schemes, there is still hope, however, for eventually ending this ongoing conflict in North Ireland. Numerous attempts have been made over recent years to devise a peace treaty and agreement that will be feasible to all of the involved parties in the conflict. Whatever the case may be one thing is obvious in my mind: if a settlement is ever to be made, and peace truly reached, then the lies and propaganda need to stop. Honesty will be the only road that will lead the conflict in North Ireland to an end.
Propaganda in North Ireland
MSM/JOU 323
Spring 1999
J. Gustainis
Brian Fullerton
a0e
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-Part of the Class Readings, ok?d by J. Gustainis.
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WEB SITES VISITED:
http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/bsunday Date Visited: 30 April 1999.
http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/hstrike Date Visited: 30 April 1999.