We are not afraid

This Guardian story says more than the usual media reports about the reality that constitutes the de-stabilized society that is parts of Northern Ireland, a reality that soundbite politicians chasing the next headline will never truly understand.

"Republicanism runs as deep as the river here. The first northern rebel to die in the 1916 Easter Rising was a Short Strand man, killed in faraway County Kerry. But it was to be the events of June 27 1970 that gave Short Strand a unique place in republican mythology and gave the fledgling Provisional IRA its first claim to be the protector of the minority Catholic community.

With the streets around the area thronged with a huge Protestant mob intent on burning the Catholics out, and the British Army and the old RUC apparently content to stand by, a handful of IRA men led by Billy McKee made a stand in the grounds of St Matthew's Church, which has gone down in republican history as the Provo Alamo.

McKee was badly wounded and another IRA volunteer killed in the gun battle, in which three loyalists also died. The battle finally put paid to the bitter Catholic taunt that IRA stood for "I Ran Away"...

In the days after the murder, the family was in shock that the IRA could kill one of their own, an innocent Catholic who voted Sinn Fein because he thought they could deliver peace. They did not immediately speak out. On the Short Strand that was a decision not to be taken lightly. But when they saw that the IRA and Sinn Fein were remaining silent, people began to vent their anger, saying the IRA were out of control, a gang of thugs, paedophiles, rapists and bullies. The once unthinkable graffiti "PIRA scum" appeared on walls. More than 700 came out for a street vigil. Normally when the IRA kill one of their own, few people come to the funeral, but around 1,000 lined the streets as the cortege snaked past. There were 64 death notices in the Irish News...

The family are setting up an office from which to run a Truth and Justice for Robert campaign. It seems an almost inhuman burden for one family to take on. But they say they will keep going. Gerry Adams said this week that the IRA will not be "embarrassed, demonised or repressed out of existence". Nor will the McCartneys."

It is the extraordinary ordinary people, like the McCartney sisters and their murdered brother's fiancee, Bridgeen Hagans, that will ultimately defeat the abuse of terrorism, not the sadly comical and potentially dangerous antics of politicians attempting to show who can stay awake the longest.

Two well worn quotes come to mind,

Edmund Burke said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Ben Franklin said that anyone who would give up a little essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserves neither liberty nor safety.

Having got slightly distracted by this story I'd just add a little addendum: anyone with a serious interest in understanding the political situation in Northern Ireland could do a lot worse than start with Tim Pat Coogan's excellent book, The Troubles. A past long time editor of one of Ireland's leading newspapers, The Irish Press, an admittedly republican-leaning publication, Coogan nevertheless brings an analytical historian's perspective to the immediate 30-year backdrop of today's Northern Irish politics.