The
accusation of "informer" is probably one
of the worst insults that can possibly be levelled
at an Irish republican. If one was to ask a genuine
republican which would he/she prefer to have uncovered
in his/her immediate family, an informer or a paedophile,
there would most likely be a steward's inquiry.
Both grotesque creatures unfortunately inhabit a
similar sphere of utter loathsomeness. The indelible
shame at even being linked to either simply through
ties of kin is capable of causing utter shame to
descend upon a family for generations. Not to mention
the implicit physical danger in being simply accused
of either activity. Both are creatures traditionally
held in republican circles to be beyond the very
pale of humanity who deserve to be hunted down and
ruthlessly dealt with. Both terms are generally
hissed through clenched, angry teeth and followed
by shivers of involuntary revulsion. Collaboration
with the enemy is on a moral par with child sexual
abuse in some republican circles, and similar angry
emotions are aroused whenever either abomination
rears its head.
Therefore
those Sinn Fein councillors who levelled the accusation
of being a tout at their former party colleague
(and now independent republican) Martin Cunningham
in the chambers of Newry and Mourne Council not
too long back did so in the knowledge they were
levelling an extremely serious allegation against
him. Martin Cunningham's crime - in their eyes -
was to have met with and expressed support for the
sisters of Robert McCartney in the days following
their brother's vicious murder.
At
a subsequent meeting of Newry and Mourne council
Sinn Fein representatives, led by that renowned
Camlough raconteur and bon-viveur Pat McGinn, ambushed
the treacherous Cllr Cunningham and repeatedly bellowed
the deadly accusation "INFORMER", whilst
at the same time copies of a newspaper interview
Cllr Cunningham had given following his meeting
with the McCartney family were distributed throughout
the council chamber - cellotaped to walls and none
too discretely adorning the seats. His treachery
was there for all to see, he WAS the guilty man.
His
words of comfort for a grieving family seeking justice
and his definition of those who carried out the
murder as simple criminals had placed him in McGinn's
and Sinn Fein's eyes among the ranks of the utterly
despised, the lowest of the low. And we all know
how informers are commonly dealt with (I believe
an old Lower Falls phrase is "a shillings worth
behind the ear," or some such delicately put
epithet).
That
is of course unless the tout is a poor innocent
builder/family man/victim of a securocrat conspiracy
from Andytown, in which case Robin Livingstone leaps
screaming to his defence...at least long enough
for him to plan his escape to Tuscany and spend
his hard earned cash.
Councillor
Cunningham could probably be forgiven for being
a little perplexed a few days after his ordeal when
Gerry Adams MP basically said the same as himself
and told people they should pass on information
about those who had carried out the brutal knife
murder. Strangely enough although Pat McGinn and
his council colleagues were present at the Sinn
Fein Ard Fheis only a day or 2 after Gerry committed
his act of treachery, they did not storm the stage
denouncing Gerry as a tout. Nor did they storm out
in protest. That's because what all intelligent
republicans know is that there is, obviously, a
huge difference in what Gerry said about Robert
McCartney's murder and what Martin Cunningham said.
Martin
Cunningham is an honest man who meant every word
sincerely.
Martin
Cunningham is not and never was an informer.
Perhaps
Cllr Pat McGinn and his colleagues simply reacted
with a knee- jerk rather than opportunistic spite
and malice. This is generally what happens when
you let a bunch of...well...bollockses, as they
say in S Armagh, do their own thing rather than
repeat a simple mantra such as "securocrat
agenda...no strategy...no support...blah, blah,"
at a docile reporter. Obviously they didn't benefit
from the good guidance of their council colleague
and Stormont MLA, Conor Murphy, who must have been
busy elsewhere. Just where was Conor when Pat and
the boys were making a holy show of themselves?
Well it has just been revealed (see latest edition
of Sovereign Nation) that the boul Conor
has been having secret meetings with senior PSNI
personnel in Newry and Mourne council offices.
But
before anyone starts hissing the word informer,
even, or "dirty collaborating turncoat scumbag,"
I'm sure they were firmly told that Sinn Fein will
be playing no part in their colonial policing set
up, and that Sinn Fein will never collaborate with
the forces of the British crown, patrolling the
roads of God's Own Country, South Armagh, in British
uniforms carrying British guns. I'm sure that's
the case, aye, surely.
And
there's no better man to spread this message around
the doors of South Armagh than Cllr Pat McGinn himself.
He is eminently qualified to do so. Pat McGinn just
happens to be the Biggest Liar in the World, and
that's official.
And
anyone who doesn't believe me, just type the words
"Pat McGinn" and" Liar" into
their search engine. He won a prize for it, and
I don't mean a council seat.
Although
it helps.
Obviously.
