‘Wall of Shame’ to remember Black and Tans

Despite the deferral of a commemoration for members of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP), plans remain in place for the names of members of the British Crown Forces who died in Ireland up to 1921, including the Black and Tans and Auxiliaries, to be etched on a commemorative wall in Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin.

Known officially as the ‘Necrology Wall’ but dubbed the ‘Wall of Shame’ by republicans, it already bears the names of the British mercenaries who shamefully sought to quash the 1916 Easter Rising.

News that the names of the ‘Black and Tans’ and other war criminals are to be added to the wall was confirmed by Josepha Madigan, the 26 County Minister for Culture, according to Fianna Fail Senator Mark Daly.

According to the Glasnevin Trust, the ‘Wall of Shame’ was always intended to record every combatant who died during the conflicts from 1916 until 1923, patriot and oppressor alike.

Mr Daly said that the move was confirmed by the Minister at a meeting of the All-Party Consultation Group on Commemorations last year, but a spokesperson for the Senator has since denied it. Minutes of the group’ meetings are being sought in an attempt to clarify the situation.

The new revelations come a week after an unprecedented controversy over a state commemoration in Dublin for the RIC/DMP and Black and Tans which had been advanced by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan for January 17 but had to be withdrawn amid huge public anger.

“This is yet another attempt by the 26 County State government to whitewash our history,” Republican Sinn Féin said in a statement. “The names of those who murdered Irish people and burned towns to the ground have no place alongside our patriot dead.”

They said they would be “at the forefront in the fight against this latest shameful act”. They again called for the current wall to be knocked down and rebuilt to only display the names of those who died fighting for Irish freedom.

“Leo Varadkar and his cronies have shown their true colors once again, this time it did not go unnoticed by the vast majority of Irish people who rightly let their feelings known with regards remembering British Collaborators and terrorists in Ireland,” they said.

“Many political parties have jumped on the bandwagon in the hope of securing votes for a likely upcoming election. We would advise caution against them.”

Urgent Appeal