Kerry remembers the Civil War
By Donal Cusack
Memories of the Civil War, whose 75th anniversary
occurs this year, remain vivid in Kerry. In the period
7 March to 14 March alone, 19 republican prisoners were
put to death by the Free State army in a reign of
terror rivalling that of the Black and Tan war. On the
weekend of 7/8 March, two particularly savage
atrocities were perpetrated on republican prisoners at
Ballyseedy, Tralee and Countess Bridge Killarney,
during which a total of 12 men were deliberately blown
to pieces by mined barricades placed by the Free State
army. Large crowds assembled at both locations on 1 and
7 March to hear Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly and Martin
Ferris pay tribute to the courage and commitment of
Kerry republicans during that terrible period.
Pat Butler's television drama/documentary ``Ballyseedy''
- recently repeated to mark the 75th anniversary of the
massacre - was a graphic illustration of the savage
inhumanity with which the Free State Dublin Guard
treated anti-treaty republicans, and both Gerry Kelly
and Martin Ferris reiterated what republicans have
known for generations, that the 26 county state was
founded on the basis of war crimes for which it has yet
to answer. To this day, General Richard Mulcahy's
bare-faced distortion of the events at Ballyseedy
remains as the official record of the massacre in the
library of Leinster House.
The large gatherings at Ballyseedy and Countess Bridge
were told that their presence at both commemerations
was an indication of the strength of feeling which
still exists in Kerry about the Civil War, and that
their commitment has ensured that, today Sinn Fein are
in a strong and vibrant position in the country, as
demonstrated by Martin Ferris's 7,294 votes in last
June's general election.
Commenting on the recent controversy regarding the
trusteeship and renovation of the Ballyseedy monument,
Sinn Fein councillor Billy Leen told the audience at
Ballyseedy that the memorial had been restored on a
voluntary basis by Kerry Sinn Fein activists, and that
despite much speculation on the matter of ownership of
the monument, it has always been and remains the
property of Oglaigh na hEireann.
North Kerry Sinn Fein have produced a 75th anniversary
commemerative booklet on the Ballyseedy massacre. Copies
are available from Sinn Fein Ard Oifig, Parnell Square,
and from Sinn Fein, 2 Moyderwell Tralee, price £3.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)