RAINBOW FARMS AUSTRALIA                                            

                                                                                                                                                                 1980 - 1981

                                                                                                    "Garret Fitzgerald became the  Fine Gael Party Taoiseach / Prime Minister of Ireland"     

1980 AD The Irish population had increased by 1/2 %. 

      In the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, 4 of the "prisoners" in the Maze Prison had taken their "Internment Without Trial." cases to the European Court of Human Rights.

March: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, Humphrey Atkins the British Government appointed Secretary in these 6 Counties in Ulster Province announced that there was now "no political status" for Irish prisoners who had been found guilty prior to March 1st 1976, but he would allow the prisoners in the Maze Prison to wear track suites during exercise, which they "rejected" so later in the year he offered to allow them to wear" civilian" clothes that would be issued by the prison authorities. 

May 21st: Charles Haughey, the Fianna Fail Prime Minister of Ireland, was keen to explore discussions on the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province by the British Imperial Coalition Government in 1922, to try and bring about "Peace" and a United Ireland, and he met with Margaret Thatcher the British Conservative Prime Minister in London, but "nothing" was achieved and Humphrey Atkins her acting British Secretary in the 6 Counties in Ulster Province at first "tightened" his grip further on these 6 Counties in Ulster Province and then offered to release it "slightly."

June: In the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, the European Court of Human Rights announced that it was "acceptable" for the Irish prisoners to be treated as "criminals," but "condemned" the British Conservative Government for failing to be "flexible" enough to find an "answer" to the problem. 

     John Turnly from the Irish Independent Party was "gunned down" and Mr. and Mrs. Bunting were "shot" in their own house in Belfast in Co. Antrim for being members of the I.R.S. Party and the "Anti - Treaty Provos" suspected that some of the British Military Forces were involved in these attacks.

October 27th: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, 7 "Anti - Treaty Provos" seeing there was no end in sight went on a "hunger strike" and the National H Block Committee began "demonstrations" throughout Ireland, while "associated" groups also held some demonstrations also in Britain and there was also support from "abroad" and the Catholic Church in Ireland, especially from Tomas O Fiaich the Primate of Ireland.       

December:  Charles Haughey, the Fianna Fail Prime Minister of Ireland, declared that the British Imperial Coalition Government Ascendancy's experiment in these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province had "failed," and he met with Margaret Thatcher the British Conservative Prime Minister, again in Dublin Castle, where they agreed to "collaborate," by setting up an Anglo - Irish Inter Governmental Council of Ministers and Civil Servants and Charles Haughey was now "retreating" from giving full backing to the "Anti - Treaty P.I.R.A / Provos " and the Irish Republicans in the these 6 Counties in Ulster Province, while Margaret Thatcher also came to realise that the government in Dublin had to be "involved" to reach a real "solution." Humphrey Atkins and Margaret Thatcher agreed to set up study teams to investigate matters of mutual concern, while Rev. Ian Paisley the religious fanatic who had his own agenda was "upset" with this move towards "progress" and he began a campaign to sign a Solemn Oath and Covenant similar to the one in the 19th Century to defeat all, and defy their attempts to remove British Nationality. In the meantime Sean Mac Kenna a prisoner in the Maze Prison by now was now close to "death."

December 17th: Humphrey Atkins the British Conservative Government Secretary in these 6 Counties in the Ulster Province "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, announced they were willing to accept a "compromise," but by now the "hunger strike" had widened involving also 3 women at Armagh Prison and 6 U.D.A. men joining in who were to be "segregated" from the Irish Republicans.

December 18th: In the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, Humphrey Atkins the British Government Secretary said that the prisoners must "end" the strike "first," and the "Anti - Treaty Provos" who were by now worried about the depreciating "physical" condition of Sean Mac Kenna so they decided to call "off" the strike, but all the "Anti - Treaty Provos" could peceive from taking this decision was that the British Conservative Government had made a "vague" reinterpretation of the Prison "rules."

      Another 75 people had met with "violent deaths" this year in these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the the British Conservative Government.

1981 January 16th: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of the British Conservative Government, Margaret Thatcher the Conservative British Prime Minister appointed James Prior as her new Secretary in these 6 Counties in Ulster Province until 1984. 

     Bernadette Devlin / Mac Aliskey, the young Civil Rights M.P. in the Westminster Parliament and her husband, were "physically attacked" in Co. Tyrone one of these 6 Counties in Ulster Province by Loyalist Unionist gunmen and both were badly "wounded."

January 21st: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, Sir Norman Stronge and his son, James, who were 2 former Unionist politicians, were "killed" in their home at Tynan Abbey  in Co. Armagh and a warning was issued that the same would be carried out on other leading Loyalists and the previous "sectarian attacks" suddenly stopped.

January : Near the end of this month the National H Block Armagh Committee in another of these 6 Counties in the Ulster Province realised that the "first" hunger strike was a "failure" and called a conference to decide if a second one was necessary and there was arguments over further support for the "Anti - Treaty P.I.R.A" campaign of "violence" and whether they should seek trade union and Catholic Church "aid," and it was finally decided to begin a "second" hunger strike.

February: In the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, in the countryside surrounding Belfast several thousand non - Catholics rallied  and 500 men produced gun licenses to defend against the Irish Republicans, and the British Conservative Government for "treachery."

March 1st: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, Bobby Sands who was born in 1954 at Rathcoole, from where his family had been driven out of by the Northern Unionist Loyalists, and along with this previous result, and the "treatment" metered out to him by his "Interment without Trial "in the Maze Prison, had convinced him to become a member of the "Anti - Treaty I.R.A." and while in the Maze Prison, he decided on a "hunger strike" to "protest" against the removal of his "political status" and he was joined in the hunger strike by 9 other Irish internees, and those "Interned Without Trial" in the Maze Prison and Armagh called off their ongoing "dirty" protest to allow the focus to be just on him. 5,000 demonstrators "protested" on the same day down the Falls Road to support his stand, and for the prisoners to wear their own clothes, to be exempt from Penal labour, free association to organise their own "recreation" and the restoration of remission for "good behaviour." The whole 10 of the "hunger strikers" were to die this year within a period of 217 days, due to the "intransigence" of "The Iron Lady," Margaret Thatcher who would not even allow them to wear there "own clothes."

February 13th: In the Irish Republic 48 people died on this day, in a disastrous "fire" at the Stardust Ballroom in Dublin in the north - east of Southern Leinster, which was the day before the Fianna Fail Convention / Ard Fheis was to be held.      

February 18th: In the Irish Republic, the Fianna Fail Government under Charles Haughey was "defeated," and Garret Fitzgerald the leader of the Fine Gael Party became the new Taoiseach / Prime Minister of Ireland.        

 In the Irish Republic, "The O Gorman Mahon" / Charles J.P. Mahon died at 91 years of age, and had been involved in 13 duels during his lifetime.

March 15th: In the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, Bobby Sands was joined in the "hunger strike" by Francis Hughes from South Derry A.S.U. / Active Service Unit.

March 22nd: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcer and the British Conservative Government, 2 more "prisoners" joined in with Bobby Sands and Francis Hughes and were soon followed by "others," and as Frank Maguire the Westminster M.P. for Fermanagh / South Tyrone, died, the National H Block Committee, because of Bobby Sands strong "determination" and the publicity he had generated for the cause of those "Imprisoned without Trial," nominated Bobby Sands to replace him, and the Social Democratic Labour Party /S.D.L. Party did not run a candidate also, while the Unionists were represented by Harry West.

April 7th: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, a 29 Year old woman and part time Census taker was "shot dead" in Derry.

April 9th: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, "Election Day" occurred with a heavy turnout and Bobby Sands was "elected" in the electoral seat left vacant due to the death of Frank Maguire the previous S. D..L. P. / Social Democratic Party candidate, and he defeated Harry West by 1,000 votes in a 60,000 poll and there was to be "rioting" on the Easter weekend as Bobby Sands physical condition continued to "deteriorate" and there was no reaction from "The Iron Lady," Margaret Thatcher, and Charles Haughey had the European Human Rights commission offer to mediate to end the chance of any deaths occurring due to the hunger strike.

April 26th: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, 20,000 people gathered in the Falls area to hear General Ramsey Clark the former USA attorney, and Daniel Berrigan a Peace activist speak. In Britain only 32 out of 270 Labour Opposition M.P.'s signed a statement urging Margaret Thatcher to negotiate to settle the dispute with the hunger strikers, while at a rally in London to have the British Military Forces "withdrawn" from these 6 Counties in Ulster Province only 1,000 people attended.

 

May 5th: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, Bobby Sands, "died" and Humphrey Atkins the British Conservative Secretary stated that he had committed "suicide," and "rioting" broke out in Belfast in Co. Antrim where 2 people were "killed."

May 12th: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, Francis Hughes also died and there was more "rioting."

May 13th: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province, Bobby Sands, had been allowed to die in the Maze Prison in Belfast in Co. Antrim by Margaret Thatcher the British Conservative Prime Minister despite all the "pleas for some sign of humanity" from all over the World and Church leaders, and he was laid to rest in the cemetery in West Belfast in Co. Antrim, where out of respect and a show of protest at her actions 100,000 people were to attend his funeral.

 

May 19th: In these 6 Counties ""artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, the "Anti - Treaty Provos" came out in force and 5 members of the British Military Forces were "killed" in South Armagh in Co. Armagh.

May 21st: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, 2 more hunger strikers, died and there was more "riots" and more funerals, but still Margaret Thatcher did "nothing" to alleviate the problem and while all of this was going on there were "local elections" in these 6 Counties in Ulster Province and a General Election in the Irish Republic.

June: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province, Kieran Doherty, another of the participants in the "hunger strike" from the H - Block Prison, who was also trying to gain political status, "won" the electoral seat as an Independent for Co. Cavan in Southern Ulster, which was still in the Irish Republic, and he stood with the principals of the "political" Sinn Fein Party, but he was  never to be able to take up his seat. The Irish Independence Party who were anti - Unionist and not connected to any of the "Para Military" groups were to have some success in the "local elections," while the Peoples Democracy gained Gerry Fitt's seat in West Belfast, and the Paisleyites ran a close second to the "Official" Unionists.

June 11th: In the Irish Republic, the General Election was conducted where the Fianna Fail Party only gained 45% of the vote with 78 seats, while the Fine Gael Party won 65, and the Irish Labour Party 15 seats, the Independents 8, which included 3 to the Workers Party, but Frank Mac Cluskey, the leader of the Irish Labour Party lost his seat, and he was replaced as their leader by Michael O Leary, who formed a very unstable All Ireland Forum for a New Ireland Coalition Government in the Irish Republic, with Garret Fitz Gerald the leader of the Fine Gael Party together with some Independents. (This New Ireland Coalition was to include Noel Browne and James Kemmy.) Of the other Independents, Sean Loftus and Joseph Sherlock remained "neutral," while Neil Blaney still continued to support the Fianna Fail Party Opposition under the leadership of Charles Haughey. Patrick Agnew, had also won a seat while representing the "political" Sinn Fein Party, but he could not take it up as he was to die in a pitiful state also in a prison in the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province, still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative British Government, as did Kieran Doherty who was by now also in a similar state there. Garret Fitz Gerald voiced "condolences" whenever a prisoner died and also criticized Margaret Thatcher for her "inflexibility," but "refused" the H Block Committees demands to "withdraw" the Irish Republic's Ambassador from London or to "expel" the British Ambassador, and cease the cross border co - operation with the British Military Forces in the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" in the Ulster Province.  

June 21st: The British Parliament passed a Bill "prohibiting" convicted criminals from standing for "election" due to Bobby Sands previous election to ensure that no other prisoner took his place, and the "Anti - Treaty Provos" saw this as proof that British democracy was a "sham," so Owen Carron who had been Bobby Sands election agent "stood" instead.

July: In the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, 2 more of the hunger strikers, died and the Catholic Church was now more "active" through the Irish Commission for Justice and Peace and it now offered to "mediate" and the prisoners said they were ready to "negotiate" and Humphrey Atkins was also ready to act on behalf of the British Conservative Government if the strike was called "off " first, but the British Conservative Government, and the "Anti - Treaty Provos" due to the 2 recent deaths were not ready and it came to nothing. Garret Fitz Gerald asked Ronald Regan to intervene, but he "declined" so the "Anti - Treaty P.I.R.A / Provos" continued on with their attacks. 

August: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, Owen Carron "won" the bye - election with a larger "majority." 

August 5th: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, the "Anti - Treaty P.I.R.A / Provos" were especially active with "bombings" through out these 6 Counties in Ulster Province, and by the end of August the whole 10 of the "hunger strikers" had died with Margaret Thatcher showing no sign of "humanity" at all to their plight and the I.N.L.A. refused to let anymore of the men join in the "hunger strike"as it was achieving little and Father Denis Faul who was well respected by the Irish Republican  elements "persuaded" the strikers families to get them "medical" help. 

September: In the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, 3 of the other hunger strikers "gave up" their task and although James Prior was now appointed the British Conservative Governments new Secretary to replace Humphrey Atkins, but there was still no changes to the Prison "rules."

October 2nd: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, Father Denis Faul met with the families of the hunger strikers and 5 out of the 6 agreed to "intervene" if they lost consciousness.

October 3rd: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, the remaining 6 hunger strikers ended their tasks and although this was in some respects a victory for the British Conservative Government who had once again shown their lack of "humanity," it was also a victory for those who had paid the ultimate price as shortly after James Prior conceded many of the demands except that Penal labour was to be so that no special status was given. and was still "imposed" on all the prisoners. The "Anti - Treaty P.I.R.A. / Provos" feeling let down by the Irish Republic, the Catholic Church and the S.D.L. Party was determined to "avenge" the hunger strikers' deaths.

October 3rd: In these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province, the "hunger strike" previously being carried out to gain re - recognition of the internees there as "political" prisoners was called off by the "Anti - Treaty I.R.A " command, and the relations between Ireland and the British Conservative Government in England under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher was at it's lowest ebb and in fact the British Conservative Government's shares all over the World were by now well and truly "badly damaged," as Margaret Thatcher had continued to show complete "disregard" for any sign of "humanity," for the life of these young Irishmen and that nothing had changed in her or the Conservative Party's  outlook. In the meantime the political Sinn Fein Party had only "increased" in popularity with the Irish population, as one after another of these young Irish internees, involved in the "hunger strike" were to die. By now the political Sinn Fein Party's popularity, under the leadership of Gerry Adams, had grown so much, that it now threatened the popularity of the S.D.L. P. / Social Democratic Labour Party under John Hume in these 6 Counties in Ulster Province. 

October 10th: A "bombing" campaign began in London of British Military Forces with 40 injured at Chelsea Barracks and 2 people were "killed" and Sir Stewart Pringle the commandant of the Royal Marines' car was booby trapped and he was badly injured  and there were 3 bombings in Oxford Street and a bomb disposal expert was "killed."

November 6th: Garret Fitz Gerald, the Fine Gael Coalition Prime Minister of Ireland, met with Margaret Thatcher the British Conservative Prime Minister in London, trying to bring about some way of increasing the strength of the Democratic Nationals in these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province, and weaken the "support" for the "Anti - Treaty Provisional I.R.A. / Provos" and also the "political" Sinn Fein Party there, hoping for an Anglo - Irish Agreement along these lines.

November: the bombings in London " finished" and the A.S.U./ Active Service Units "disappeared" altogether.

      In the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province still under the control of Margaret Thatcher and the British Conservative Government, the "Anti - Treaty P.I.R.A. / Provos" attacked the U.D.R. / Ulster Defence Regiment and "killed" one of Rev. Ian Paisley's supporters the Rev. Robert Bradford who was an "Official" Unionist M.P. The Loyalist "murder squad" had also been active since the end of the "hunger strike" after being encouraged by Rev.Ian Paisley's personal "verbal" attack on James Prior for giving the prisoners any "concessions" and random "attacks" had then also been carried out on Catholics including a Belfast city councillor from the Ardoyne. Rev. Ian Paisley announced the "formation" of a third force of "vigilantes" and held a number of rallies that included "masked men." The "interrogation" methods used by the R.U.C. police at Castlereagh to extract "confessions" were "banned" and the British Conservative Government now tried using "bribery" and "psychological pressure" promising "safe havens abroad," money and freedom from prosecution.

    Another 101 people were to meet "violent deaths" again, this year, in these 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9.Counties in the Ulster Province, which were still under British Imperial Conservative Government's Direct Rule.

              Home Page                                                                                                                  Return to Celtic Heritage                                                                   On to 1982 - 1984 AD