Veteran Irish Republican Frank O'Neill, R.I.P.

by cropbeye - N/A Sun Feb 06, 2011 23:18

Sorry to hear of his passing

A great loss.

by Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America Mon Feb 07, 2011 13:56

6 February 2011
Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America

In Memoriam: Frank O'Neill

The Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America would like
to send our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and
comrades of veteran Chicago Irish Republican Frank O'Neill, who
passed away at 88 years old.

Frank O'Neill, who hailed from Bangor, Co. Down, was an IRA veteran
of the 1940s who served under Charlie Kerins. Frank spent many years
imprisoned in Portlaoise Gaol for his Republican beliefs, and he was
a three-time hunger striker for political status. Frank later moved
to the US but never gave up his determination to see Ireland free of
British imperial rule.

Frank was active in many Irish American organizations over the years
and at the time of his death was a member and chairman of the Chicago
cumann of Cumann na Saoirse/The Irish Freedom Committee.

Frank, who owned and operated O'Neill's Lounge on Chicago's North
Avenue, was a stalwart in Chicago's Irish American community. He was
respected by all regardless of political affiliation and his absence
will not go unnoticed.

Frank has left a lasting impression of those in the IRSCNA who were
fortunate enough to have known him. He will be truly missed. We must
now redouble our efforts to help make the Ireland Frank worked his
entire life for become a reality. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

###

Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America
PO Box 5174
Champaign IL 61825
USA
irscna@irsm.org
http://www.irscna.org/
http://www.irsp.ie/irscna.html

by D. collins Sat Apr 23, 2011 08:51

strange that an irsp support group would issue such a flowery remembrance for besides the whole being sidekick to david rupert, he was also a noted vehement anti-communist.

by Dubliner Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:53

Very easy to be a 'republican' from the safety of the USA. People like that left Ireland decades ago and are very out of touch with Ireland today. But it doesn't stop them funding and supporting Republicanism and holding 'hardline' positions from the safety of the USA while the people they support are killing and bombing people in Britain and Ireland.

by Jim O'Neill - Irish Abroad Mon Apr 25, 2011 12:59

Not all Dubs are stupid but some like Mr. Dubliner like to mouth out in relation to my uncle who passed away in Chicago. I am trying to imagine the Dubliner on a high stool this morning giving his post mortem after Cork yesterday not alone beating the mighty Dubs in Croker but also beating the shit out of them in the tunnel at half time. You see if you draw conclusions from Irish history Michael Collins said it often enough - our army IRA at the time were hampered by touts all over Dublin. These touts probably got a lot of men shot and hanged at that time. Martin McGuinness yesterday made a very solid statement but he was wrong to call CIRA stupid. McGuinness is only enforcing their will to continue on this new path that they have now clearly envisaged. So in relation to my uncle who was a staunch Republican all his life and did his time in Port Laoise jail almost 50 years ago - I say to you Sir, get off your high stool and go home and feed your kids

Jim

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Mon Apr 25, 2011 13:43

actually Jim, its Cork were the reigning champions.
Beating the shit out of them in the tunnel. Is that your level of engagement with sport?And are you to tell someone living on the island to butt out, from Chicago?

You might be better employed using your republican dictation to get your US government to drop its takeover of Britannia's role as empire of the century, before you tell us we have no rights of reply to your external dictat.

Cork played a great game, and I'm not sure who started the dust up at half-time, but as a dub I'm quite happy with the outcome, and that the game showed more respect for sport than your bone-headed response. Some of us dubs got caught in the blowback from your fucking long-distance heroics. As did many Irish abroad. You might be better to stick to your adopted home's problems than inflicting more of the same mirror bigotry we are trying to prevent another generation getting caught in.
No use us feeding our children if the likes of you are going to set them at each others throats again. You want to live with Mick Collins, do so. Some of us have moved to the twenty-first century, and noticed changes that may have escaped your absent mind.

by Dubliner Mon Apr 25, 2011 17:15

Have a read of Jim O'Neill's comment. Two things are very clear. 1. He has a warped view of Ireland. 2. Much of his knowledge of Ireland comes from history books.

Jim attacks me for coming from Dublin and somehow links that into a historical quote coming from Michael Collins. Jim O'Neill's only view of Ireland comes from history books and quotes from republican leaders of the past. So rather than taking me up on my point about his uncle and indeed more bar stool republicans in the USA being remote and removed from Ireland today he attacks me for coming from Dublin!

Jim also states that I should go back and feed my kids. Well, this remark also shows his warped and indeed stereo-typed view of Ireland. In the 1950s when his uncle was in Ireland it was the case there were an entire demographic of working class men with alcohol problems that wasted money in pubs and neglected their kids and stay-at-home wives. Sorry to tell you Jim but Ireland is a bit different to the 1950s. The Dublin slums were cleared in the 60s, women now work, and semi-lumpenised beerflies do not inhabit Dublin's public houses. Maybe there are plenty of these type of washed up Irish emigrants in American bars still.

My main point was not answered. The American based 'republicans' are remote and removed form Ireland. They have a weird and warped view of Ireland. They think it's the same country they left fado fado. Well, sorry to tell you Jimmy, but the Irish people's biggest problem now is unemployment, the banking crisis, the IMF, cuts in wages and welfare, etc. Yes, the national question is unresolved. But it wont be resolved by people like you sending over cash from a distance to micro-republican groups with zero public support with a sectarian agenda.

Jim, the Ireland of your uncle is gone. It's gone into the past and it's a foreign country now to the millions of Irish people that now live and are trying to work here.

by pannekoek Wed May 04, 2011 07:54

Attention to IRSP leadership: In prior instances this IFC group in Chicago
in trying to make inroads in Republican or other radical groups in Ireland is they are overly 'enthusiastic'
and always bare some very odd 'gifts' , these usually are gifts of money, computers, mobile phones or other electronic
equipment. Another frequent attempt at 'helpfulness' is to offer to create and/or manage websites, forums, email
lists that should be created and maintained solely by party leadership. This sounds like common sense but yet this
was nonsense above was ok'ed by IRSCNA. IFC was completely compromised by David Rupert and it's leadership from that time
remains in place. IRSP should look out just how its American support group has become intertwined with this intel op.
See if 'former' IFCers have become involved or even current members of IFC? Are other statements also pushing IFC?
No harm can come from looking into what is going on there but given who and what operates IFC it would be outright foolish not
to. Whoever pushed for the above statement is clearly using the IRSP to give credence to IFC.

by P.j - None Wed May 04, 2011 10:52

Given the choice, I'd sooner spend time with a bunch of barstool Republicans in the States than with a gang of Royalist lackeys in Leinster House

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Wed May 04, 2011 11:22

last I heard George gave up the drink. But Rumsfeld and Cheyney will probably enjoy your company.

by pat c Wed May 04, 2011 12:24

A lot of the time one liners are just irrelevant. But yours was good and really witty. I was in a sour humour but you cheered me up. ;)

by Danielle Ni Dhighe - IRSCNA Wed May 04, 2011 12:38 danielle at irsm dot org

The statement was released because some members of our Chicago chapter knew Mr. O'Neill and had worked with him. One might wonder what agenda you're marching to by spinning a simple statement of condolences into something more sinister.

Danielle Ni Dhighe
PRO, IRSCNA

by D Collins Wed May 04, 2011 20:05

Danielle Ni Dhighe, The IFC in America has prior documented instances of providing electronic devices to Republican parties and groups in Ireland, they have also previously used offers of managing websites for these groups. That is a fact that has been brought out in the courts. As stated above there would be no harm in the IRSP Ard Chomhairle inquiring just how much (if any) influence as been established, there is however much potential harm in ignoring it. There are former Republicans sitting in Portlaoise today who could have done with such advice but perhaps, like you, called it an agenda.

by Danielle Ni Dhighe - IRSCNA Thu May 05, 2011 01:37 danielle at irsm dot org

All IRSCNA statements are sent to the IRSP leadership and posted to the IRSP web forum, so they're already aware of this statement of condolences, and they're also aware that the Chicago IRSCNA has worked with the Chicago IFC on hunger strike and Easter commemorations.

So, yes, I do wonder if there's an agenda at work when certain people want to create suspicion that something may not be kosher with the IRSCNA.

Danielle Ni Dhighe
PRO, IRSCNA

by a fox - none Mon May 09, 2011 06:58

Would appear those with the 'agenda' weren't too far off . The connection is deeper then 'just some members knew Mr. O'Neill'.

From the RNU Philly facebook page:

RNU is open for new members in the usa
5 hours ago

Cillian MacNioclais chicago here mo chara
5 hours ago · 1 person
Cillian MacNioclais when can i join>?
5 hours ago
Colm Mistéil If you're interested in Republicanism in Chicago, get in touch with the Irish Freedom Committee, www.irishfreedomcommittee.net also we will be having a hunger strike commemoration in August, check www.wemustbeunited.com for info on that.
5 hours ago

Is this the same Colm who is listed on the IRSCNA website you have linked to? Which after decades in California suddenly now operates out of Chicago. Not only does the IRSCNA member promote IFC, as opposed to your organisation he also refers to IFC as 'we'. Further perusing through facebook shows that he is also the admin of the IFC page. Those who posted concerns and posting facts on how IFC have infiltrated in past cases seem to have been on the right track.

by Danielle Ni Dhighe - IRSCNA Mon May 09, 2011 13:25 danielle at irsm dot org

The IRSCNA hasn't operated out of California since 2005, when the California-based IRSCNA Coordinator submitted his resignation during a heated political dispute, which the IRSP leadership rejected in favor of dismissing him. A new collective leadership was then appointed by the IRSP, and since then the official mailing address for the IRSCNA has rotated between Seattle, Kansas City, Chicago, and currently Champaign.

In context, Colm appears to have been using 'we' to mean the Chicago Hunger Strike Commemoration Committee, a joint venture of the Chicago IRSCNA and the Chicago IFC, a fact already known by the IRSP leadership. To my knowledge, the IRSCNA and the IFC are the only anti-GFA republican groups in Chicago, which is why the two groups work together on issues of mutual concern.

As an organizer, I've also steered people to other organizations as a courtesy when it was clear their politics weren't compatible with ours, and there's nothing about that person's comments or Facebook profile that would suggest he was oriented to republican socialism.

I remain suspicious of anonymous posters trying to stir the proverbial feces. Are you trying to create a rift between the IRSP and the IRSCNA, or a rift in the ranks of the IRSCNA? Or simply smear us in the eyes of fellow Indymedia posters?

Danielle Ni Dhighe
PRO, IRSCNA

by Colm - IRSCNA Mon May 09, 2011 20:18

There is an agenda at play here for sure. The IFC infiltrating other groups, and running websites for groups in Ireland? Tottally false. Now the guy who used to run the NIFC website, also did the na Fianna site, and actually took it down, and held on to the domain after a falling out between the 2. It should also be interesting to note that Rupert was introduced to those in Chicago by an RSF member at a meeting in NY. There is more to say on this, but will leave it off a public forum.

As for what has been said of myself, Daneille is absolutely correct. This person is not someone who would be suited for our politics, so I steered him in the direction of the IFC. The "we" referred to, was indeed reference to the CHSCC, of which both the IRSCNA, and IFC are apart of.

by Deirdre - Irish Freedom Committee Thu Jun 02, 2011 22:50

The individual posting under the multiple anonymous names above is well known to us, and is a serial liar and felon-setter. Very much like the person whose court testimony he references.

by Jimmy Mon Jun 06, 2011 20:03

David Rupert infiltrated RSF and was an active participant in their Ard-Fheis on many occasions. He was witnessed collecting the vote tabs, and he was brought into the RSF by his business partner and colleague Joe O'Neill, Officer of RSF. It was the same Joe O'Neill who traveled to New York with David Rupert and introduced him to the newly forming IFC. David Rupert then met that misfit cab driver. They then conspired to undermine the IFC at every turn possible. They held secret meetings where they both agreed that John would infiltrate the IFC New York Cumann and Rupert would attempt to infiltrate the Chicago and Boston groups. Rupert and John failed miserably in their efforts and Rupert went back to Ireland to continue his infiltration of RSF in Ireland, where he had not blown his cover yet. Once back in Ireland, he gave false testimony for the British in their trial of Michael McKevitt. It is this trial that the above misfit uses to quote the lies stated by David Rupert against McKevitt. This Chicago outcast was there at the trial feeding lies to the KcKevitt family about the IFC, a group that he is banned from. It was David Rupert who supposedly gave computers to some people in Ireland.