Gremlin’s Fireside Chat

I have always been interested in history, more-so of late – but that is the function of passing time. Today, 28th November, in 1990 – some 16 years ago – The Honourable Margaret Thatcher resigns as Prime Minster and John Major is selected as the new Tory Leader in the UK. Why is this important? It isn’t really, but it is an event I remember well. It was an end of an era, a woman who molded my formative years, and to be honest unlike most politician’s Maggie had definite political views and beliefs and kept to them. To be stabbed in the back by her own side was kind of ironic since at the time the Tory party was usually pretty solid on the unity front; in the 80’s it was the Labour party who made an art of stabbing their leader in the back at fairly regular intervals.

It was quite a shock in the late 90’s and 2000’s when the parties in the uk did a loyalty switcheroo with the Labour having a united front and the Tories kings of the back-stabbing and shooting yourselves in the foot.

Anyway back to Maggie, our Iron Lady. She espoused the philosophy of self-reliance, little government interference in business, privatization of government assets and a gung-ho attitude to interfering foreign powers. She won a war; jumped into bed with the USA (figuratively that is), and helped beat the Soviet bear.

What a woman.

Today 86 years ago in 1920 14 brave men in Imperial service were brutally murdered – some in front of their wives – by scum that were the Al-Qaeda of their day; Scum who had no regard for law, mankind and God. Who killed unarmed men because they were too scared to take them on face-to-face as armed equals.

The brave murdered men were:

At 28 Pembroke Street Dublin. Major Dowling, Captain Leonard Price, Captain Keenlyside, Colonel Woodcock and Colonel Montgomery. Their muderers include: Andy Cooney, Mick O’Hanlon, Mick Flanagan.

At 119 Morehampton Road, Donnybrook, Dublin: Lieutenant Donald Lewis MacLean; Vilely Murdered by Vinnie Byrne and Seán Doyle.

At 92 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin: Captain Newbury. Murdered by Bill Stapleton, Joe Leonard and others.

At 38 Upper Mount Street, Dublin. Colonel Peter Ashmunt Aimes ,Captain George Bennett. Murderers unknown.

At 28 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin: Captain Fitzgerald by Murderers unknown.

At 22 Lower Mount Street Dublin: Lieutenant Angliss, real name McMahon. Murdered by Tom Keogh amongst others.

At 119 Baggot Street, Dublin: Captain Bagally; Murdered by a three-men, one of whom was a future Taoiseach, Seán Lemass.

At the Gresham Hotel, O’Connell Street, Dublin: Captain McCormack and Captain Wilde.

Gentlemen rest in peace and may the Lord have mercy on your souls and for whom the following prayer is apt:

Almighty God, grant us thy gift of loyalty. For our homes, give us love and obedience; for our country, sacrifice and service; for our Church, reverence and devotion; and in everything make us true to thee; through thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

I turned 42 last week, it still has not sunk in – a real bummer. Still “feel” like I am in my late 20’s (although my body feels in its late 50’s). There is nothing “good” about growing old I think except watching your kids and grand-kids grow up. Trouble is I have no kids yet

Well lets look at the positive side. I have a lovely wife who loves me and whom I love dearly; and a great set of parents and friends.