Saor Uladh
Encyclopedia
Saor Uladh - was a short-lived paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland
in the 1950s.
Seen as a splinter group of the Irish Republican Army
, it was formed in County Tyrone
by Liam Kelly
and Phil O'Donnell
in 1953. Kelly had been expelled from the IRA in October 1951 for carrying out an unauthorised raid in Derry
, and took some of his colleagues with him into the new organisation.. The new group carried out armed robberies. In 1954, a political wing, Fianna Uladh
, was formed. Kelly was later elected to the Seanad in 1954, due mainly to the efforts of Seán MacBride
,with the group maintaining close links to Clann na Poblachta
. Unusually for republican groups at the time Saor Uladh recognised the legitimacy of the Constitution of Ireland
and the Dáil Éireann
.
Saor Uladh was involved in 1955 in an attack on the RUC
barracks in Rosslea
, County Fermanagh
in which volunteer Connie Green
was fatally injured, on the 11 November 1956 Saor Uladh and members of a Dublin IRA splinter group destroyed six-customs posts along the border in bomb attacks and in May 1957 the group blew up the canal lock
in Newry
with gelignite
that they had stolen. The group was armed by contacts Kelly had in the United States of America, from whom they received not only guns and explosives but even anti-tank weapons. Despite this potentially vast arsenal the group confined itself to attacks on barracks and the bombing of bridges and customs posts during its period of actvity.
Saor Uladh were closely associated with the left republican
party Clann na Poblachta
- then in government - though no formal link was ever established or admitted and their central political demand was the replacement of the Parliament of Northern Ireland
with a nine county Dail Uladh to determine the future of the "North of Ireland".
Their military campaign saw the destruction of several customs posts and raids on police installations. Saor Uladh had its main presence in County Tyrone and in this area the IRA was forced to tolerate the group's existence due to the popularity of Kelly. At the beginning of the Border Campaign
the group was subsumed back into the IRA. In May 1957, the group blew up the locks on Newry Canal
. Twelve of the group's members were interned at the Curragh Camp
in 1957, where they were ostracised by the IRA internees.
During their brief existence two members of the organisation were killed.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
in the 1950s.
Seen as a splinter group of the Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)
The original Irish Republican Army fought a guerrilla war against British rule in Ireland in the Irish War of Independence 1919–1921. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on 6 December 1921, the IRA in the 26 counties that were to become the Irish Free State split between supporters and...
, it was formed in County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
by Liam Kelly
Liam Kelly (Irish republican)
Liam Kelly was an Irish republican, who was elected both to House of Commons of Northern Ireland and as a member of Seanad Éireann...
and Phil O'Donnell
Phil O'Donnell (Irish republican)
Phil O'Donnell , was a volunteer in the 2nd Battalion, Derry Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and a founding member of Saor Uladh from the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland.-Background:...
in 1953. Kelly had been expelled from the IRA in October 1951 for carrying out an unauthorised raid in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, and took some of his colleagues with him into the new organisation.. The new group carried out armed robberies. In 1954, a political wing, Fianna Uladh
Fianna Uladh
Fianna Uladh was a minor Irish republican political party active in Northern Ireland during the 1950s. It represented the political wing of Saor Uladh, a splinter group of the Irish Republican Army....
, was formed. Kelly was later elected to the Seanad in 1954, due mainly to the efforts of Seán MacBride
Seán MacBride
Seán MacBride was an Irish government minister and prominent international politician as well as a Chief of Staff of the IRA....
,with the group maintaining close links to Clann na Poblachta
Clann na Poblachta
Clann na Poblachta , abbreviated CnaP, was an Irish republican and social democratic political party founded by former Irish Republican Army Chief of Staff Seán MacBride in 1946.-Foundation:...
. Unusually for republican groups at the time Saor Uladh recognised the legitimacy of the Constitution of Ireland
Constitution of Ireland
The Constitution of Ireland is the fundamental law of the Irish state. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy and guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected...
and the Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
.
Saor Uladh was involved in 1955 in an attack on the RUC
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
barracks in Rosslea
Rosslea
Rosslea or Roslea is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, near the border with County Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. It stands on the River Finn and is beset by small natural lakes. Roslea Forest is nearby...
, County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
in which volunteer Connie Green
Connie Green
Connie Green was a member of the dissident Irish republican paramilitary group Saor Uladh. He was shot while carrying out a raid on an Royal Ulster Constabulary barracks at Rosslea in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland....
was fatally injured, on the 11 November 1956 Saor Uladh and members of a Dublin IRA splinter group destroyed six-customs posts along the border in bomb attacks and in May 1957 the group blew up the canal lock
Newry Canal
The Newry Canal, located in Northern Ireland, was built to link the Tyrone coalfields to the Irish Sea at Carlingford Lough near Newry.-History:...
in Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
with gelignite
Gelignite
Gelignite, also known as blasting gelatin or simply jelly, is an explosive material consisting of collodion-cotton dissolved in either nitroglycerine or nitroglycol and mixed with wood pulp and saltpetre .It was invented in 1875 by Alfred Nobel, who had earlier invented dynamite...
that they had stolen. The group was armed by contacts Kelly had in the United States of America, from whom they received not only guns and explosives but even anti-tank weapons. Despite this potentially vast arsenal the group confined itself to attacks on barracks and the bombing of bridges and customs posts during its period of actvity.
Saor Uladh were closely associated with the left republican
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
party Clann na Poblachta
Clann na Poblachta
Clann na Poblachta , abbreviated CnaP, was an Irish republican and social democratic political party founded by former Irish Republican Army Chief of Staff Seán MacBride in 1946.-Foundation:...
- then in government - though no formal link was ever established or admitted and their central political demand was the replacement of the Parliament of Northern Ireland
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
with a nine county Dail Uladh to determine the future of the "North of Ireland".
Their military campaign saw the destruction of several customs posts and raids on police installations. Saor Uladh had its main presence in County Tyrone and in this area the IRA was forced to tolerate the group's existence due to the popularity of Kelly. At the beginning of the Border Campaign
Border Campaign (IRA)
The Border Campaign was a campaign of guerrilla warfare carried out by the Irish Republican Army against targets in Northern Ireland, with the aim of overthrowing British rule there and creating a united Ireland.Popularly referred to as the Border Campaign, it was also referred to as the...
the group was subsumed back into the IRA. In May 1957, the group blew up the locks on Newry Canal
Newry Canal
The Newry Canal, located in Northern Ireland, was built to link the Tyrone coalfields to the Irish Sea at Carlingford Lough near Newry.-History:...
. Twelve of the group's members were interned at the Curragh Camp
Curragh Camp
The Curragh Camp is an army base and military college located in The Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland. It is the main training centre for the Irish Army.- Brief history of the Curragh's military heritage :...
in 1957, where they were ostracised by the IRA internees.
During their brief existence two members of the organisation were killed.