Páirtí Cumannach na hÉireann / the Communist Party of Ireland once again expresses its solidarity with the families of the victims of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings on this the 50th anniversary; bombings that murdered 33 and injured 300 of our fellow citizens, leaving many families and individuals scarred for life both emotionally and physically.
The bombings, carried out under the direction and coordination of British state military intelligence using its proxy forces – loyalist paramilitaries – on this occasion the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).
Three bombs were exploded on two very busy Dublin streets at a time when thousands of working people were shopping or going home from work. The third Dublin bomb exploded near Kildare Street. The Monaghan bomb was detonated in the heart of the town.
The then Irish government, a coalition of Fine Gael and the Labour Party, was one of the most reactionary governments produced by the Irish ruling class. The 2003 Barron Report into the bombings exposed the shambolic nature of An Garda Síochána’s investigation into what was a terrorist attack on the Irish state, directed by the British state. At the time of the attack the Irish government was instituting a regime of repression against Republicans and all those who expressed solidarity with the people in the six counties. The British state attack was a message to the Irish government and to the Irish people of the likely consequences of any support for the IRA campaign in the six counties.
The British continue to block and prevaricate regarding supplying all materials in relation to these events. It was in the British state’s interests to bomb Dublin and Monaghan 50 years ago, and it is still in its interests to block any further exposure of this state-directed crime. The British state has protected and continues to protect all those who planned and carried out the bombings.
At a time when the Irish ruling class wants closer links with NATO, it should be remembered that Britain was then, and remains today, one of the most aggressive members of NATO. The attack shows that Britain doesn’t care for Irish democracy, neutrality, and sovereignty. The British state, then as now, continues to protect its interests and interfere in the affairs of the Irish people. The lesson of history must be learned by each generation, that British imperialism does not have friends but only interests to serve and pursue.
