Irish War of Independence 1919-1921: Railway Strike Athenry - Galway

upncmnhistori · 13-12-2012 11:10PM #1

In 1920 according to the Irish times there was a railway strike when police got on the train from Athenry heading to Galway and apparently I think the rest of the Irish Volunteers in the country followed the same procedure what was it called when the railway went on strike in 1920 (Of course this is Black and Tan era). Unless now those 'police' where RIC?

Jolly Red Giant · 13-12-2012 11:32PM

Throughout the War of Independence railway workers refused to carry the British military (personnel and equipment) on trains. This had nothing to do with the IRA and was actually organised by members of a British based union, NUR. Incidently, Sinn Fein attempted to establish an Irish only railway workers union in 1921 in an effort to cut across the radicalism of the local NUR branches - their attempts to split the NUR along nationalist lines fell flat on its face.

Farmer Pudsey · 14-12-2012 01:31AM

upncmnhistori wrote: »

In 1920 according to the Irish times there was a railway strike when police got on the train from Athenry heading to Galway and apparently I think the rest of the Irish Volunteers in the country followed the same procedure what was it called when the railway went on strike in 1920 (Of course this is Black and Tan era). Unless now those 'police' where RIC?

How come alot of people constantly refer to the war of independance as the Black and Tan era etc etc. In reality they were a blunt instrunment. The Auxileries were a much more potent force as were those in the RIC that continued to be active policemen(they would be refered to as anti-terrorists nowadays) and the special branch in Dublin.

Micheal Collins knew the reality that you had to strike at the head of a snake to be sucessfull. What happened outside Dublin tied down the British it was the intelligence war in Dublin that made the difference. This was the blueprint for terrorist/warfare for the last 40 years accross the world. What happen mainly in West Cork( and to a certain extent arross the country) was a blue print for the French, Russian, Norwegians, Greeks and Yukoslavians during WW2.

The reason why the Irish civil war was always going to be won by the Irish Government is that it had a majority of the country on its side and even where it had a minority these were enough to win the intelligance battle.

Black and Tan war my A#s#

upncmnhistori · 14-12-2012 12:39PM

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

How come alot of people constantly refer to the war of independance as the Black and Tan era etc etc. In reality they were a blunt instrunment. The Auxileries were a much more potent force as were those in the RIC that continued to be active policemen(they would be refered to as anti-terrorists nowadays) and the special branch in Dublin.

Micheal Collins knew the reality that you had to strike at the head of a snake to be sucessfull. What happened outside Dublin tied down the British it was the intelligence war in Dublin that made the difference. This was the blueprint for terrorist/warfare for the last 40 years accross the world. What happen mainly in West Cork( and to a certain extent arross the country) was a blue print for the French, Russian, Norwegians, Greeks and Yukoslavians during WW2.

The reason why the Irish civil war was always going to be won by the Irish Government is that it had a majority of the country on its side and even where it had a minority these were enough to win the intelligance battle.

Black and Tan war my A#s#

Interesting the Black and Tans were only here in 1920 (Correct me if I am wrong) I may need to read deeper into it though. I must look up the NUR at some point. Would 1920 not be known as the B & T era of course you had the ambushes aswell including burning of RIC barracks'.

gobnaitolunacy · 14-12-2012 12:44PM

Open to correction here, employees of the L&NWR in Dublin refused to handle munitions for the British Army in 1920 and went on strike, was it this action that sparked it off?

Farmer Pudsey · 14-12-2012 01:13PM

upncmnhistori wrote: »

Interesting the Black and Tans were only here in 1920 (Correct me if I am wrong) I may need to read deeper into it though. I must look up the NUR at some point. Would 1920 not be known as the B & T era of course you had the ambushes aswell including burning of RIC barracks'.

The Black and Tans were technically recruited into the RIC however a shortage of material ment that they had a different uniform they were in general Ex British soldiers. However they while they gennerally put a fear in the general population they were a blunt instrunment. Referring to 1920/21 as the black and tan era gives them credit that they they are not entitled to.

The most potent enemy of the OLD IRA were the men that continued to serve in RIC, the special Branch in Dublin and the Auxillaries. The Auxillaries were Ex british officers and were a dangerous and intelligant enemy. The RIC and special branch were also dangerous however Micheal Collins had infiltrated both these orginisations and assinated the most dangerous of them.

People refering to this as the Black and Tan era give trhe impression that these were the biggest enmey when in reality while dangerous they were not the biggest headache that the Irish independance fighters had.

Rebelheart · 15-12-2012 02:54AM

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

How come alot of people constantly refer to the war of independance as the Black and Tan era etc etc.

Black and Tan war my A#s#

:rolleyes:. How come a lot of people (invariably British nationalists) refer to it as the "Anglo-Irish War" when there was more than English people fighting the Irish? ....

Irish War of Independence 1919-1921: Railway Strike Athenry - Galway

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