In this article, Roy Garland explains how Loyalist leaders such as William McGrath were making dire predictions about the intentions of the IRA as the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Rising approached. Roy Garland witnessed these developments at first hand. Soon, he was dedicating himself to the peace process believing in the “interconnectednes between everyone in Ireland.”
1. The “Enemy of Souls”.
As the 50th anniversary of 1916 drew near, tensions rose in Loyalist and Nationalist traditions.
William McGrath, a Loyalist, said all the expressions of evil, even those striving in opposite directions, are under the central control of the Enemy of Souls, and the fight would continue, and grow in intensity, while those remain who are loyal to the Word of God and to the simple faith of our Lord Jesus Christ! [1]
Even churches had been weakened by enemy penetration and in one tract McGrath said, “The World Council of Churches, with its wild enthusiasm for union with Rome, is an evil growth threatening to end the evangelical testimony of the churches of our fathers.” [2]
Wild enthusiasm for union with Rome was an exaggeration but McGrath predicted a conspiracy aimed at everything Protestants hold dear and this would lead to a very serious crisis:
“When the hour of crisis breaks it will be the supreme moment of history for our generation, and the great need at that moment will be for dedicated and informed leadership … For a situation like this we must prepare NOW!” [3]
2. McGrath linked communism with Catholicism which he said was ultimately controlled by Satan.
This warlike stance came from McGrath, a “Christian leader” whose primary enemy was international Communism. McGrath linked it with Catholicism which he said was ultimately controlled by Satan. He promoted a military response and claimed we must prepare NOW as this is urgent. Oliver Cromwell, he said, had advised his people to choose “Godly men” as leaders so that Godly men would follow. But the warfare McGrath predicted would affect all aspects of society and would impact the whole UK. After the riots in Divis Street began in October 1964, McGrath took credit for his “foresight” in predicting this violence saying it would go beyond NI.
3. A hope for peace.
The McMillens were Nationalists. One of them, Billy McMillen, stood for elected office in 1964.
Gusty Spence, a Loyalist leader, had met Billy McMillen’s brother, Art, in prison and had introduced him to me. Art and his family warmly welcomed me into their home in West Belfast. He gave me a copy of a picture of his brother Billy in his office beside a banner displaying a poem by a Presbyterian with Billy standing beside a banner with the following verse:
“And let the orange lily be. Your badge my patriot brother. It’s the everlasting green for me. But we for one another.” [4]
One of the McMillen family told me their parents had drummed it into them from childhood to respect their Protestant neighbours.
This displayed his hope for peace but during that year boys from my Bible Class attacked Catholic premises on the nearby Shankill Road because of the way Catholics were attacking “our police on the Falls.” (They probably meant Republicans but I think they said Catholics.)
There was real fear. It was McGrath who told me that his information came through Intelligence. I have no doubt that he was linked and they fed him stuff, some accurate and some not. He told me that preparations were made including arms and regiments of the army introduced etc.
4. “I was told the IRA would organise an armed stand at Belfast’s City Hall, as in 1916.”
The big worry among Unionists/Loyalists was that in 1966 there would be an attempted reenactment of 1916.
I and others were told that a very serious situation was about to arise when the IRA would launch attacks.
Tensions grew in both traditions. The IRA leadership was moving from violence to politics. But William McGrath quoted the PM Terence O’Neill saying the life of Northern Ireland hung by a thread that weekend. Various Loyalists had been warned of the danger.
Gusty Spence and Billy Mitchell were also told that serious violence was coming.
I was told the IRA would organise an armed stand at Belfast’s City Hall, as in 1916. Billy Mitchell was told a similar story, but it would take place in Newry. The UVF were prepared to resist this and Gusty said they were on standby in preparation to resist a serious IRA assault.
British Intelligence warned the Stormont Cabinet that more armaments from Britain were being introduced to resist the IRA, including an infantry battalion secretly introduced to resist the IRA.
William McGrath warned that soldiers were being secreted into Northern Ireland ostensibly for training and cabinet papers claimed that sixteen aircraft were on standby. But the British Government wished to avoid blame for any violence that might occur, this had to be low key to avoid being blamed for any violence. Hence McGrath’s warnings seemed authenticated.
5. Parades but no IRA onslaught
Other Loyalists had similar stories about the intentions of the IRA but there was no onslaught. Roy Johnston, a Protestant from Tyrone who was in the IRA, was encouraging the move from violence into politics.
A Republican parade took place on the Falls Road and a Loyalist parade took place from Carlisle Circus and Clifton Street.
I had decided to take part in the Loyalist parade and a meeting was held at Faith House to discuss this. I arrived a little late and as I walked up the stairs to the meeting, I noticed old banners that were once used in the Irish Republic. I had never seen these in use, but had seen a picture in a remote village with the banners being held in an empty street. It struck me that we could use these in the parade, but we could face opposition, but everyone agreed so the banners would be carried. But one or two Orangemen refused to carry these Irish slogans that included the following and a number of similar ones:
FOR GOD AND IRELAND.
REVIVE NATIONAL VIGOUR BY CROWNING CHRIST KING.
BY RIGHT OF CALVARY IRELAND BELONGS TO CHRIST.
6. The Guild of Uriel and the “interconnectedness between everyone in Ireland.”
I knew if the old banners were carried in a Loyalist parade, this would be risky but no opposition was encountered. In fact, an impression remains with me is that some of those observing the parade were moved almost to tears in a positive sense, despite the fears of things Irish that still existed. Perhaps this was the unconscious motive that drove me to form the Guild of Uriel with the help of the late Dr Harold O’Sullivan of Dundalk who was aware of the long history of the Garland family in Ireland. The original name was Gernon, a Norman family in England. Some renamed themselves Garland, but other retained both versions. Some when approaching the border area said they used the Garland form as the name was well known in that area and trusted. Joe Armstrong who trained for the priesthood wrote about the Guild:
“They arranged meetings outside the glare of publicity between the different sides of the socio-political-religious divide in Northern Ireland, often getting enemies into the same room at the same time to…dialogue. They invited guest speakers and organizations to meet with them. They didn’t judge anyone. Even when the IRA ceasefire broke down, they kept up their quiet, invaluable work. Some criticized them for talking to the political wing of the IRA – Sinn Fein – but they met them, nevertheless, convinced that to resolve conflict you have to talk to everyone. Roy Garland was the inspiration behind the Guild. He is a unionist, yet he realized the interconnectedness between everyone in Ireland.”
However, although much progress in relationships between traditions has taken place there remains much to be done. I had invited a relative surnamed Garland from the border counties to an inaugural meeting at Castle Bellingham, which in Irish is Garland’s town named after early Garlands who settled there. Julitta Clancy and I chaired dynamic meetings for 20 years. But my friend drove to the entrance but turned his car round and drove many miles home. I had once shared his unease which slowly disappeared from my consciousness. I frequently crossed the border and met relatives and made many friends there and am forever grateful. This was part of the inspiration for founding the Guild of Uriel in County Louth. Our meetings were always dynamic and fruitful and I will never forget the impact on many people from all traditions.
[1] Op cit. Read This First.
[2] Ibid.
[3] This is taken from a CFCIEC tract entitled Read This First, which introduced a series of tractsin the 1960s and were widely distributed
[4] http://www.cathieryan.com/lyrics/the-12th-of-july-lament-for-the-children/ Accessed 12 April 2015. This I understand was written by a Presbyterian John Frasier,