to die for your country, your beliefs and violence.....

I have never been persecuted, discriminated against, arrested for my beliefs (either political or religious). In short I have led a privileged life whereby my beliefs, actions and patriotism has never been against the law of the land.

At present I am reading a book by Tim Pat Coogan called "The IRA" (link below). This is part of me brushing up on my knowledge on Northern Ireland and in no way shows that I support the IRA or their actions (or any other terrorists for that matter). The book is challenging reading and at times very disturbing ( I realise this was never going to be a fairy tale).

This morning's snippet of reading was a letter written (in 1922) from an IRA prisoner (Liam Mellows) about to be executed in retaliation of two assasinations carried out by the IRA in the preceeding few days. The letter was written by Mellows to his mother...

"...we were informed that we were to be executed as a reprisal. Welcome be the will of God, for Ireland is in His keeping despite foreign monarchs and treaties........My last thoughts will be on God, and Ireland and on you."

"Through you I also send another message: it is this, let no thought of reprisal or revenge dominate Republicans because of our deaths. We die for the truth, vindication will come, the mist will be cleared away, and brothers in blood will before long be brothers in arms, against the oppression of our country and imperialist England...in this belief I die happy forgiving all, as I hope myself to be forgiven."

The letter ends with a comment that he he could not accept the Bishops' Pastoral and closes with the line "I believe that those who die for Ireland have no need for Prayer"

Here is a link to further reading on this particular incident - just to give more background and understanding.