Diary - July 1984: Map Reading, Much and the National Front

PLEASE LOOK CAREFULLY at the map of Cork. The field, marked Camp Field, is separated from the barracks by a very wide road. It is clear that there is no bridge or other connection between the two. To get to the barracks you have to cross the road; there are no two ways about it.  By Colm Toibin

The Camp Field, which is owned by the army, conntains some military residences, a pitch and putt club, a tennis club, a GAA pitch, a soccer pitch and plenty of green space to spare. The facilities for football, hurling, jogging and rugby have been used by civilians for as long as anyone in Cork can remember.

Early in 1983 this situation changed. Early in 1983 miliitary police began to come into the field the odd evening and order everyone out. This became more regular, until eventually a very military looking and permanently closed gate was put up. Subbsequently, a blockhouse was built to accommodate a sentry full time and a notice forbidding entry was erected. Since then it has been impossible for any of the locals to get into the place.

The Camp Field was the f only green space available to i the residents of a huge area Ilil in Cork; it served the great I sprawl of flat dwellers around . Wellington Road and St Luke's Cross. Very often there would be eighty or more kids or adults there on a given evening. No explanaation was given as to why the field was sealed off.

Last November, John Mullcahy of Brian Dillon's camogie club wrote a polite request for permission to use the Camp Field while his club's pitch was being repaired. He received a reply of one line from the army saying: "your application to use the Camp Field is not approved."

In February Kevin Cashhman, who will be well known to readers of Magill, and who lives nearby, took up the matter with the Ombudsman. Senator Brendan Ryan also took it up with the Minister for Defence.

Three different reasons were given why the field has been closed and not one of them stands up to any scruutiny.

The Ombudsman told Kevin Cashman that he had been given two reasons why the field was closed. One, that "entry had been gained to the barracks through this field by vandals who did appproximately £300,000 worth of damage to the gymnasium." As the map shows, entry could not be gained to the barracks through this field. Indeed, it is believed that the vandals who wrecked the army gymnasium were either at a disco in the barracks ittself or trying to get into it. A map needed, apply Ommbudsman.

The Ombudsman's second reason was: "the question of liability for injuries to perrsons while on the property was also a factor taken into consideration in arriving at this decision." From time immmemorial to 1 983 this factor had never been taken into consideration. When John Mulcahy had asked for perrmission to use the field he made it clear that his players were covered by GAA insurrance.

The Minister for Defence did not mention either of these matters when he wrote to Brendan Ryan. He said that ''the field is fully utilised by military personnel for reccreational purposes."

Kevin Cashman who lives nearby says this is not true. He says the army plays a match there very occasionally. The field should be given back to the local people. Over to you, Michael Mills.

***

MUCK

IT WAS THE FIANNA FAIL we have come to know and love. First there was Charlie in the middle and a micro-phone in front of him. Members of his party on either side of him. While Charlie smiled, they smiled if they were paying attention at all. And when Charlie droned on, they put on their best serious expressions.

So there they all were the Friday morning after Charlie had won his overall majority. Charlie was the leader and they would wait until he gave them the nod before they said anything.

It was hard not to look at them and consider how much money they were going to make. One of them connfessed afterwards that his bank manager, a diehard Fine Gaeler, had voted for him to ease his financial burdens. Oh that we all had such bank managers.

Listen to it, the litany of what they get, it would make any bank manager green with envy. Six of the eight Fianna Fail members will get £630 a week with half their Dail salary (£158) tax free. The chances of making £200 for every journey to Strasbourg. (Y ou book Apex, then claim the full expenses, you don't have to produce receipts.) The chances of making £200 clear profit for every journey to Strasbourg. £90 a day while you're there. £23,000 a year secretarial allowances. £15,520 a year for general office expenses. An additional £1,600 a year travel allowwance. £740 a year paid into an insurance scheme for you.

It was hard, as I say, to listen to Charlie talking about disarmament. It was hard, real hard not to look at the eight Fianna Fail Euro-MPs and think of all the money they were going to make.

Charlie explained what the priorities would be in Europe. Who would be what in the group. What group Fianna Fail could join. It was all very interesting, if you could conncentrate on it enough to stop looking at the Euro-ills' eyes and seeing dollar signs.

Being the dey that was in it - a grear day for Ireland, a great day :or Fianna Fail, a great day fer certain bank managers - Charlie was going to be big about things. He was going 10 let the others speak. );0: for long now, but still ... Often he doesn't do this. (\2. the press conferrence during the campaign wnen he refused to allow S~ Flanagan to speak.) But today, as has been established, was a special day. So each one could outline priorities in Europe. Starting from my right and then starting from my left they all had prioriities. And what are your hobbies? one felt like asking and one would have tennis, the other cooking, the other swimming and maybe reading or maybe making a great deal of money out of being eleccted a Euro MP.

But this was serious. This was politics.

Paddy Lalor felt the media had been less than helpful in the campaign. Journalists had gone on too much about the negative aspects of Europe. They had written "muck", said Paddy Lalor. He was the last of Charlie's little angels to address the press.

Magill then got involved. in Europe you didn't have to give in receipts for expenses incurred. This left it open to MPs to get money for expennses they didn't incur. What was Fianna Fail's view on this? Eyes that once shone with dollar signs, now became fired with steel. Charlie thought it was a matter for the Parliament; Paddy Lalor thought it was a clear exammple of what he had been talking about earlier. Muck. Sean Flanagan began to muttter; it was not clear exactly what he was saying, but it sounded abusive.

But does Fianna Fail not have a policy on expenses. Yes, it did said Charlie. Fianna Fail was in favour of a system of expenses which was fair and just. All his overall majority nodded in agreeement.

******

National Front

SATURDAY IN COLEraine. It was getting towards three in the afternoon. The town hall stood in the Diamond and facing it was a shopping street for pedestrians only. There was no litter; everything was in its place; in the car park you had to buy a ticket from a machine and display it. If you turned off into one of the side streets you found a wooden Presbyterian Church and its motto: Ardens Sed Virens. You could have been in New England.

Along this street the first march came. This was a prootest march against the second march which was to end at a meeting in the town hall. The local council had given it perrmission to meet there. The second march was to be the National Front.

The people of Coleraine stood on the side of the street. "They're against the National Front, are they against the Provos, but?" a man asked. The people on the side of the street were hostile to the march against the National Front which consisted of a number of left-wing groups.

They marched to the left of the town hall and were cordoned off by the RUC.

The shouting could be heard first. Just a noise, like as though you were passing somewhere near Croke Park on a summer Sunday. Then you saw them coming. Skinnheads, young lads waving a huge number of flags and banners. Maybe 150 of them all roaring and waving. Staring you straight in the eye.

They took a circuitous route through Coleraine and then marched straight up to the town hall. There was applause from a section of

the people on the street. The two marches began to roar at each other; the National Front people noticed that there were several blacks among the opposition. They singled them out for abuse. The RUC had to hold them back. They were pushed into the hall and the doors were closed.

At first the press was exxcluded. We stood outside and waited to be let in. It took ten minutes or so before we were allowed up the stairs. The speeches had begun. The few we heard congratulated the National Front for stoppping the Provos marching in Britain to commemorate Bloody Sunday when the Paras "rightly" shot people in Derry. The third speaker attacked the press and pointed to us all sitting at the back. All the time they spoke skinnheads waved flags from the stage.

A few blokes began to point at us and ogle us. Soon, these blokes approached us and told us to get out. A few more stood around. Get out. You can take notes in the Free State. They wanted our notebooks, they tried to take them.

As we went down the stairs anum ber of National Front members approached us from the hall downstairs. Behind us, other members, our assailants, watched us carefully. We made our way out as best we could. The National Front continued its meeting in the hall given for

I the afternoon by the-local council.