After re-reading portions of "Killing Rage" by Eamon Collins, I have a bit of commentary on certain interactions and points from the text.The book is a biography of an IRA operator and member of the greatly feared Nutting Squad who eventually becomes a tout from the Newry area. He would later be killed in a breach of the Provos ceasefire (aka SURRENDER) in January of 1999. It gives information on many operations and known figures within the Provisional movement.
One of the most outstanding parts in the books is Collins' recollection of an encounter at a funeral with Gerry Adams in which he essentially calls Adams a Stick. Adams was attempting to quell a confrontation between a group of mourners and the RUC.
The nationalists were stamping their feet in protest to the RUC's prescence at the IRA Volunteer's funeral and Francie Molloy (now head of PSF's Tyrone office) was trying to get them to stop. Collins was egging the crowd on; telling them to ignore the
PSF councillor's plea.
"Stop, stop" Molloy said. "This is not helping our cause."
Collins was disgusted with this attempt to hinder the natural feelings of disgust being displayed by these people in mourning. He told them "don't listen to him. Bang your feet if you want. Don't listen to him. Show the RUC you're not afraid. Show solidarity with the dead Volunteer!"
Molloy ran like a little child to tattle-tale on Collins. Adams, who had already stopped a few of these disturbances during the day, moved in quickly to talk his sort of sense to the people. They eventually stopped at the beckon of this man, who's position demanded a sort of respect amongst nationalist people.
When asked how the funeral "went," Adams said "No, it went quiet will. Nos erious incident, apart fromt his man here."
Collins asked him "What incident was that?"
Gerry replied "the incident when you encouraged the crowd to stomp their feet after they had been asked to stop."
"There was nothing wrong with that," Collins shot back, "They were showing their support for a dead volunteer."
Adams shook his head "To me it smacks of
militarism and fascism. I -"
Collins cut him off and thru clenched teeth said "That's like something the Sticks would come out with."
It had been said before and has been said many times since then, but that is just about the worst insult you could have said to the Provisional president. Adams is often criticised because of his rejection of the military operations that thrust him into the political arena in the first place. No matter what the man says, it was not his involvement in anti-internment and civil rights protests that gave him recognition; it was the fact that he was the head of the Belfast leadership of the Provos from after the Sunningdale Agreement(perhaps before) that gave him his noteriety and his rise thru the ranks of both Sinn Fein and the PIRA. His constant denial of his PIRA involvement and status within that organisation has just become an old and boring dance.
**Tomorrow, I'll go thru Collins involvement with Scap and the Nutting Squad.
