Madam, – Perhaps John T O’Neill, Col, retired (September 10th), could illuminate the public about the meeting of senior army officers held in Mullingar Army Barracks 40 years ago, shortly after all Irish Army personnel were ordered by the government of the day back to their respective barracks. This meeting was halted by the Special Branch of the Garda Síochána armed with Uzis. In the following weeks a number of high-ranking officers took early retirement.
Special Branch intelligence were of the opinion the meeting was to organise a coup d’etat because of the refusal of the Lynch government to take back “The North”. When, if ever, Harold Wilson’s complete papers are released, will the people of Ireland and the UK realise how close to slaughter Ireland came in 1969?
Just imagine the Irish Army with Bren guns and 303 rifles against the B-Specials and the RUC, not alone well armed but also well trained militarily. – Yours, etc,