New blog on the Belfast Pogrom of 1920-22

Dr.Nightdub

Hopefully, this'll be of interest to some on here - I started up a blog a while back, the plan being to post a new article once a month or so:

https://thebelfastpogrom.com/

BalcombeSt4

I always wanted to know a little more about these events, especially how much or how little of a roles people like Craig, Carson, DLG, Churchill & Wilson played in it.

Dr.Nightdub

Crudely:

Craig - lapped up the benefits

Carson - instigator

DLG - uncomfortable bystander

Churchill - wannabe bystander

Wilson - drew the short straw, killed for stuff he wasn't actually responsible for

BalcombeSt4

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121028215#Comment_121028215

Yeah, I pretty much knew Carson was the main instigator, with Craig not to far behind.

Especially in July 1920 when Carson delivered this unbelievably provocative & sectarian speech to a loyalist & a re-organized UVF crowd at Finaghy south Belfast near Balmoral.

"“But we tell you (the Government) this – that if, having offered you our help – and I have offered it to them over and over again – if, having you our help, you are yourself unable to protect us from the machinations of Sinn Fein, and you won’t take our help; well, then, we tell you we will take the matter into our own hands. (Cheers.) We will re-organise, at all costs, and notwithstanding the consequences, we will re-organise, as we feel bound to do in our own defence, throughout the province the Ulster Volunteers (loud cheers) – who sent you such splendid help to maintain our Empire during the war. But one thing we will not submit to is that we should be left helpless and hopeless in the face of our enemies, and we tell you that, come what will, in the last resort, we will rely upon ourselves, and, under God we will defend ourselves. (Cheers.) Now, I hope that I have made that pretty clear. (Laughter and cheers.) And those are not mere words. I hate words without action.”.

One point would not have been lost on anyone in July 1920 was that what Carson was proposing for Belfast had literally just happened in Derry over the previous weeks. Since 18th June, when the UVF precipitated violent clashes in Derry, twenty people had been killed in the city and many more wounded. Everyone hearing or reading Carson’s speech would have known this and understood the exact implications of what Carson was calling for. This was no mere rhetorical flourish or unfortunate phrasing. As he himself said “I hate to see words without action.”

The day after Carson’s speech the London Times’ scathing report stated that: “If indeed that organisation [the UVF] was revived as a defensive police force for Ulster the most serious consequences would almost certainly ensue. Upon Sir Edward Carson lies largely the blame for having sown the dragon’s teeth in Ireland.”

Kieran Allen in his book "1916 Ireland's Revolutionary Tradition " he also comments on the speech....

"In July 1920 there was a ferocious speech from Carson when he urged loyalists to take matters in to their own hands in dealing with the insurgency. Shortly afterwards a meeting was held in Belfast shipyards "to drive Sinn Feiners out" & over the next few days all Catholics and "rotten prods" (Protestants who held radical labour views) were expelled ."