103-584: Director of Intelligence (IRA) Seán Mac Stíofáin (born John Edward Drayton Stephenson ; 17 February 1928 – 18 May 2001) was an English-born chief of staff of the Provisional IRA , a position he held between 1969 and 1972. Although he used the Gaelicised version of name in later life, Mac Stíofáin was born John Edward Drayton Stephenson in Leytonstone , London , in 1928. An only child, his father
206-588: A calendar system. However, a writing system would not be developed until the 1st century BC, with the emergence of Ogham . The arrival of the Celts to Ireland around 500 BC heralded the beginning of the Iron Age and the establishment of most of what would define Gaelic Irish culture for millennia; including Primitive Irish , Irish mythology , Celtic paganism and an early form of the Gaelic calendar . The ancient monuments of
309-682: A fulacht fiadh and mounds of burnt soil and stone. Farming was established in the area during the Neolithic period. This provided a surplus of time and resources which was spent constructing great stone monuments to the dead, such as passage graves , court cairns and wedge tombs . There are hundreds of surviving examples of these dotted across the landscape, however, the most famous Neolithic monuments in Ireland are those at Brú na Bóinne – Newgrange , Knowth and Dowth . These tombs were constructed prior to 3,000 BC making them older than Stonehenge and
412-461: A chief who was elected by members of their extended family. Due to a lack of extensive written historical records prior to the 5th century AD, the early history of Meath is murky and largely mythologised. Irish legend purports that the title of " High King of Ireland " stretches back millennia, however, it is today known that the Hill of Tara did not become a seat of power until the early centuries AD. In
515-590: A disagreement about strategy at the Ard Fheis, when a majority opposed the Éire Nua policy, which envisaged the setting up of regional governments in each of the traditional four Provinces of Ireland . In the late 1970s he met with representatives from the Army Council of the Irish National Liberation Army who were interested in him becoming Chief of Staff of that movement, but nothing ever came from
618-432: A lack of temperature extremes. Met Éireann records the climate data for Meath from their station at Dunsany , situated 83 m (272 ft) above sea level. The average maximum January temperature is 7.3 °C (45 °F), while the average maximum July temperature is 19.6 °C (67 °F). On average, the sunniest months are May and June, while the wettest month is October with 87 mm (3 in) of rain, and
721-400: A mix of clay, sand and gravel which were deposited by glacial melt-water. In the north of the county near the border with Cavan, a small series of drumlins were formed from boulder clay . Loughs typically form in between the poorly-drained inter-drumlin areas, however unlike in neighbouring Cavan and Westmeath, Meath has no sizable loughs, other than Lough Sheelin , on which the county shares
824-619: A secret meeting with members of the British government, led by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland William Whitelaw , at Cheyne Walk in London. Other IRA leaders in attendance were Dáithí Ó Conaill , Martin McGuinness , Gerry Adams , Seamus Twomey and Ivor Bell . Leading the delegation, Mac Stíofáin spelled out the three basic demands of the Provisionals: (1) The future of Ireland to be decided by
927-461: A small coastline in its westernmost tip. Meath is largely flat and much of the county lies below 100 m (330 ft) above sea-level. The minor hills in the far west of the county at Loughcrew , and in the north at Carrickleck are the only upland areas of any significance. Slieve na Calliagh , at just 276 m (906 ft) in height, is the highest point in the county, making it the second lowest county top in Ireland. Carrickleck Hill, near
1030-567: A trial of IRA membership, and on 25 November he was sentenced to six months' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. Political fallout arising from the interview was considerable and some days later, Fianna Fáil minister Gerry Collins sacked the entire RTÉ authority. Jailed in the Curragh prison , Mac Stíofáin immediately embarked on a hunger and thirst strike. He was taken to
1133-497: A unified Kingdom of Mide ( Meath ), a name derived from the Old Irish meaning "middle". The first annalistic mention of a " High King of Ireland " or " Ard-Rí " was Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid , King of Mide, who died in 862 AD, having achieved many victories against both the Norse and the kingdoms of Ulster. Later historians would retroactively apply the title of "High King" to
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#17330925005471236-560: A unit of the IRA. He first met his wife, Máire, who was from Castletownroche , County Cork. Mac Stíofáin then began work for British Rail . On 25 July 1953, Mac Stíofáin took part in an IRA arms raid on the armoury of the Officers' Training Corps at Felsted School in Essex . The IRA obtained over 108 rifles, ten Bren and eight Sten guns, two mortars and dummy mortar bombs in the raid. The police seized
1339-405: Is Ireland's third-least forested county and remains well below the national average of 11% forest cover. Historically, Meath was extensively forested, but experienced a near total deforestation between the 16th and 18th centuries. Although it has rebounded in recent years, the low forest cover compared to other counties can be explained by the lack of a significant commercial forestry industry within
1442-704: Is Meath's dominant geographic feature and is synonymous with the county, having defined its history and culture over millennia. The two most prominent tributaries of the Boyne are the Leinster Blackwater , which has its source in Cavan and flows south for 68 km (42 mi) before joining the Boyne at Navan, and the Enfield Blackwater , which has its source in Kildare and flows north for 25 km (16 mi) before joining
1545-540: Is a UNESCO -designated World Heritage Site . The earliest known evidence of human settlement in the county is the Mesolithic flints found at Randalstown north of Navan, which were uncovered during the construction of the tailings pond for Tara Mines in the 1970s. These flints have been dated to 9,500 BC and are one of the earliest traces of pre-historic humans in Ireland . The excavation site at Randalstown also revealed other evidence of hunter-gatherer society, such as
1648-529: Is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland , within the province of Leinster . It is bordered by County Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the southwest, Westmeath to the west, Cavan to the northwest, and Monaghan to the north. To the east, Meath also borders the Irish Sea along a narrow strip between the rivers Boyne and Delvin , giving it
1751-507: Is predominantly made up of Lower Carboniferous limestone , which underlies approximately 75% of the county. These were laid down following the erosion of mountain ranges which formed due to the closure of the Iapetus Ocean . The eroded mountains became basins in which limestone sediments and carbonate mud were deposited. The oldest rocks in the county are Ordovician in age and are found in thin layers near Slane and at Stamullen , while
1854-445: Is the 14th-largest of Ireland's 32 counties by area, and the eighth-largest in terms of population. It is the second-largest of Leinster's 12 counties in size, and the third-largest in terms of population. Meath borders seven counties – Dublin and Louth to the east, Westmeath and Offaly to the west, Kildare to the south, and Cavan and Monaghan to the north. Meath's coastline stretches for roughly 20 km (12 mi) along
1957-568: The Abbey of Kells , Trim Castle and Slane Castle . The county was also the site of the seminal Battle of the Boyne , which was fought near Oldbridge in 1690, ending in the defeat of James II and his flight to France . It is the only county in Leinster to have Gaeltacht regions, at Ráth Chairn and Baile Ghib , and is also one of only two counties outside of the west of Ireland to have an official Gaeltacht (the other being County Waterford ). Meath
2060-605: The Clann Cholmáin dynasty meant that both Magnus and Art Ua Máel Sechlainn were also vying for the kingship of Meath. To circumvent this problem, Henry defined the borders of Meath as they had been in 1153 and ignored all subsequent subdivisions. In March 1172 he granted control of Meath to de Lacy on the condition that de Lacy could personally retain the kingdom with near total autonomy if he could conquer it. Shortly after Henry left Ireland, Hugh de Lacy invaded Meath, setting up countless motte and bailey fortifications throughout
2163-498: The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly . The county town is Navan, where the county hall and government are located, although Trim , the former county town, has historical significance and remains a sitting place of the circuit court . County Meath was divided under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 into the rural districts of Ardee No. 2, Dunshaughlin, Kells, Meath, Navan, Oldcastle, Trim, and Edenderry No. 3, and
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#17330925005472266-452: The Egyptian pyramids . The site is believed to have been of religious significance and is decorated with megalithic art . Newgrange, the largest pre-historic tomb in Ireland, is most famous for its alignment with the equinoxes , when sunlight shines through a ' roofbox ' and floods the inner chamber. In constructing the tomb the early settlers displayed an advanced knowledge of astronomy and
2369-565: The Farmers' Party returning 6 and 1 TDs respectively in the 1920s and 1930s. No other party would win a Dáil seat in Meath until 2011, when Peadar Tóibín was elected to Meath West for Sinn Féin. Meath East and Meath West return 6 TDs to the Dáil. In the most recent general election in 2020 , Sinn Féin won 2 of the 6 seats, Fine Gael won 2, and Fianna Fáil and Aontú both won 1 seat each. The voter turnout at
2472-503: The Irish Sea between the Boyne and Delvin rivers, making it the second shortest coastline of any coastal county. The county town, Navan, is the largest settlement in Meath, and is situated on the River Boyne in the middle of the county. Navan is approximately 50 km (31 mi) from Dublin and 140 km (87 mi) from Belfast . Owing to the fertile agricultural plains along
2575-705: The Meath Gaeltacht . Visitors to his home were greeted at the front door with a mat saying Labhair Gaeilge Anseo ("Speak Irish here"). In 1993, Mac Stíofáin suffered a stroke . On 18 May 2001, he died in Our Lady's Hospital in Navan , County Meath , after a long illness at the age of 73. He is buried in St Mary's Cemetery, Navan. Despite his controversial career in the IRA, many of his former comrades (and rivals) paid tribute to him after his death. Ruairí Ó Brádaigh , who attended
2678-519: The Parliament of Ireland and Meath was officially divided in two. The act was intended to allow a more effective administration in both counties, particularly in Westmeath, which England had lost control of. A new shire town at Mullingar was established along with four new baronies , while Trim retained its status as the shire town of Meath. Despite the general loyalty of the " Old English " of Meath to
2781-506: The Social Democrats hold 1. There are 11 independent councillors. Council elections are held every 5 years, with the next election due to be held in June 2029. The 2024 Meath local elections had a voter turnout of 48.0%, a very slight decrease of 0.1% on the 2019 election . The highest turnout was at Kells (55.0%) and the lowest was at Trim (43.9%). The council has three representatives on
2884-557: The Twelve Apostles of Ireland . During the golden age, the monasteries of Meath were associated with several of Ireland's most famous artefacts, which are considered to be among the finest examples of Insular and medieval Christian art in existence. As knowledge of the importance and wealth of the Irish monasteries became more widely known, they began to attract the attention of Vikings , who were raiding throughout Britain and Ireland in
2987-506: The province of Leinster . Historically, the kingdom and its successor territory the Lordship of Meath included all of the counties Meath, Fingal and Westmeath as well as parts of counties Cavan , Longford , Louth , Offaly and Kildare . The seat of the High King of Ireland was at Tara . The archaeological complex of Brú na Bóinne in the north-east of the county is 5,000 years old and
3090-422: The second shortest coastline of any county. Meath County Council is the local authority for the county. Meath is the 14th-largest of Ireland's 32 traditional counties by land area, and the 8th-most populous , with a total population of 220,826 according to the 2022 census . The county town and largest settlement in Meath is Navan , located in the centre of the county along the River Boyne. Other towns in
3193-403: The urban districts of An Uaimh ( Navan ), Ceannanus Mór ( Kells ), and Trim . The rural districts were abolished in 1925. The urban districts became town councils in 2002. All town councils in Ireland were abolished in 2014. County Meath is within four Dáil constituencies : From 1923 to 1937, and again from 1948 to 2007, there was one Meath constituency. From 1937 to 1948 the county
Seán Mac Stíofáin - Misplaced Pages Continue
3296-519: The " Golden Age of Irish Christianity " lasted for several centuries. Irish Scholars preserved invaluable Latin texts and Gaelic monasteries developed into centres of learning which attracted theologians from across Europe. These monasteries sent missionaries to northern and central Europe to re-ignite Christianity and Latin tradition in areas where it had lapsed following the fall of the Western Roman Empire . One of Ireland's national nicknames, "
3399-522: The "gutter press" and praised him as a man who had been "interested in the rights of men and women and people anywhere in the world who were oppressed, including Irish speakers in Ireland, who are also oppressed". Mac Stíofáin, Seán, Memoirs of a Revolutionary , London (Gordon Cremonesi), 1975. Also published as Revolutionary in Ireland ISBN 0-86033-031-1 IRA Director of Intelligence The Director of Intelligence attempted to oversee
3502-455: The "one-shot sniper". He is said to have taken part in an unsuccessful attack on Crossmaglen RUC station in August 1969. His military strategy was summed up in his own words by "escalate, escalate, escalate", and in 1972, by far the bloodiest year of the conflict, the IRA killed around 100 British soldiers and lost 90 of their own members. On 7 July 1972, Mac Stíofáin led an IRA delegation to
3605-631: The 2016 general election was 61.5% in Meath West, and 63.4% in Meath East. The county is part of the 4-seat Midlands–North-West constituency for elections to the European Parliament . The county is colloquially known by the nickname "The Royal County", owing to its history as the seat of the High King of Ireland . It formed from the eastern part of the former Kingdom of Mide but now forms part of
3708-575: The 400s, Niall of the Nine Hostages , King of the Uí Néill , conquered southward from Ulster and established a kingdom in Meath. As was commonplace in Ireland at the time, the achievements of Niall and his sons were propagandised and mythicised by bards to such an extent that much of what is known about them is considered fictional. Nevertheless, the dynasty of the Uí Néill had become firmly established in
3811-476: The 8th century. The most distinctive feature of Irish monasteries, their round towers , were built in response to these Viking raids. Eventually, the Vikings established kingdoms and founded Ireland's first cities along coastal areas, including in neighbouring Dublin . The High Kings and lesser kingdoms waged near-continuous war with these Norse-Gael settlers for over two centuries. In 1166, Diarmait Mac Murchada
3914-632: The Boyne Valley were assimilated into Celtic culture and mythology, with Cú Chulainn said to have been conceived at Newgrange. Furthermore, tradition states that Sláine mac Dela , of the Fir Bolg , cleared the forest at Brú na Bóinne and built the monuments, becoming the first High King of Ireland. It was during the Celtic period that Meath was divided into 8 túatha , the primary political unit of Celtic Ireland . The túatha were independent petty kingdoms ruled by
4017-516: The Boyne at Donore. In the east of the county, both the River Nanny and the Delvin River flow to the Irish sea, with the latter demarcating the border with County Dublin. As of 2017, there is a total of 13,326 ha (32,929 acres) of forest cover in the county, representing 5.7% of the total land area. This is an increase from just 11,200 ha (27,676 acres) (4.8%) in 2006. Nevertheless, Meath
4120-672: The Boyne valley, which dominate the county, Meath's landscape is largely rural in nature. However, it is also one of the most densely populated counties in Ireland, with a population density of 94 people per km2. Centuries of exhaustive harvesting and reclamation for agriculture have severely reduced the extent of bogland in the county, especially in comparison to the neighbouring Midland counties. However, small areas of bogland survived, such as Jamestown Bog, Girley Bog and Killyconny Bog, and are currently protected as either Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) or Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs). The River Boyne, at 112 km (70 mi) in length,
4223-467: The Cavan border, is the second highest peak in Meath, at 173 m (568 ft). The Hill of Tara is located south of Navan and, although just 155 m (509 ft) in height, is the most prominent feature in the local topography, commanding a panoramic view of the surrounding area. There are eighteen historic baronies in the county. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for many administrative purposes, and
Seán Mac Stíofáin - Misplaced Pages Continue
4326-560: The Curragh, Ó Brádaigh welcomed him. Following standard procedures, Mac Stíofáin lost his rank upon arrest and he never again regained his influence within the IRA after his release in April 1973. After he was sidelined, Mac Stíofáin began working as a distribution manager and part-time columnist with the Sinn Féin newspaper, An Phoblacht , in the late 1970s. He resigned from the party in 1982 after
4429-641: The Dublin Mater Hospital , from where an IRA unit, including two members disguised as priests, unsuccessfully tried to free him on 26 November 1972. After this, he was transferred to the Military Hospital of the Curragh, in County Kildare. He ended his thirst strike on 28 November. His hunger strike led to tumultuous scenes in Dublin and protests outside the Mater Hospital, where he was visited by
4532-408: The High King. Máel Sechnaill's claim to the kingship was challenged by Boru in 1002 at the Hill of Tara. The Meath king requested a month-long truce to rally his subordinates to his side, which Boru accepted, however, Máel Sechnaill was quickly abandoned by his northern Uí Néill kinsmen. Having failed to raise enough troops to challenge Boru, he was forced to abdicate, thus ending the hereditary right of
4635-574: The High-King's coalition army to oust the Normans, however, their forces were routed during an unsuccessful siege of Dublin. Fearing that Strongbow was growing too powerful and might set up his own independent kingdom in Ireland, Henry II of England landed in Ireland in October 1171 to establish control over both the Irish and the Normans. Henry's campaign in Ireland was largely successful and he managed to reign in
4738-713: The Holy See and declared himself the head of the Church in England , and subsequently refused to recognise the Roman Catholic Church 's vestigial sovereignty over Ireland. For this reason, and also to address England's waning power in Ireland, Henry proclaimed the Kingdom of Ireland in 1542, with himself as its monarch. The following year, the Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act was passed by
4841-499: The IRA campaign which peaked on 21 July 1972, or Bloody Friday , when the IRA detonated 22 car bombs in less than two hours across Belfast, killing nine people and injuring 130. In his memoirs, Mac Stíofáin described the operation as "a concerted sabotage offensive" intended to demonstrate the IRA was capable of planting a large number of bombs at once. At a meeting between Heath and Irish Taoiseach Jack Lynch in Munich on 4 September 1972,
4944-519: The Irish version of his name. This was not his first visit to the country, and he had been to Ireland a month before the Felsted raid in 1953. He worked as a salesman for an Irish-language organisation. He remained active in the IRA and gave the Bodenstown oration in 1959. He was uneasy with the left-wing political direction – under way from 1964 – his erstwhile friend and IRA chief of staff, Cathal Goulding,
5047-515: The King of Mide. In the late 10th century, the Dalcassians to the south, led by Brian Boru , consolidated their hold over Munster , with Boru establishing himself as King of Munster . The ascendancy of this longtime rival kingdom posed a serious threat to High King Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill , so the two leaders met at Clonfert in 997 and agreed upon a truce, whereby Boru was granted overlordship of
5150-504: The Normans as well as a few Irish kingdoms which also submitted to him. Most crucially, he retained the city of Dublin, and Baron Hugh de Lacy was made its bailiff. Henry's appointment of de Lacy was intended to act as a counterbalance to Strongbow. However, in order to achieve this, de Lacy would need a strong holding on Irish soil and it was decided that the Kingdom of Meath was to be granted to de Lacy. This grant posed an issue for Henry as
5253-607: The Pale while other areas – which were inhabited by both the Gaelic Irish as well as Normans who were once loyal to the Crown – were now outside the control of the authorities in Dublin. The papal bull Laudabiliter of Pope Adrian IV , issued in 1155, recognised the Angevin monarch as Dominus Hibernae (Latin for "Lord of Ireland"). When Pope Clement VII excommunicated Henry VIII in 1533,
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#17330925005475356-561: The Uí Néill and established himself as the Lord of Meath . This lordship gradually diminished in size before being formally shired as County Meath in 1297, which was further sub-divided into Meath and Westmeath in 1542. The county took its present boundaries in 1977, when much of Drogheda was transferred to County Louth . Meath has an abundance of historical sites, including the Hill of Tara , Hill of Slane , Newgrange , Knowth , Dowth , Loughcrew ,
5459-409: The Uí Néill septs. The feud was eventually resolved, and as part of the resolution, it was decided that the position of King of Tara would alternate between the northern and southern Uí Néill septs. The title alternated between the two septs for over 500 years, with every second king travelling south from Ulster for an inauguration ceremony at Tara. By 740, Domnall Midi of the Clann Cholmáin dynasty,
5562-436: The Uí Néill to the title of High King. Although they remained Kings of Meath, the power and prestige of the southern Uí Néill would never recover. Traditional accounts of the arrival of Saint Patrick and Christianity to Ireland are centred on Meath and its legendary High Kings. Folklore states that he travelled to the kingdom to light a Paschal Fire on the Hill of Slane , in defiance of High-King Lóegaire mac Néill , who
5665-756: The age of 16 and worked in the building trade, before being conscripted into the Royal Air Force in 1945. He attained the rank of corporal. After leaving the RAF, he returned to London where he became increasingly involved with Irish organisations in Britain. He first joined Conradh na Gaeilge (Gaelic League), then the Irish Anti-Partition League , bought (and later sold) the United Irishman , joined Sinn Féin in London, and eventually in 1949 helped to organise
5768-432: The barony boundaries in County Meath which continuously changed from the 16th to 19th centuries were last finalised in 1807. Their official status is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, where official Irish names of baronies are listed under "Administrative units". The largest barony in Meath is Kells Upper, at 49,552 acres (201 km2), and the smallest barony is Dunboyne, at 16,781 acres (68 km2). Townlands are
5871-432: The centre of Ireland and they proclaimed themselves the Kings of Tara and Kings of Uisnech . The Uí Néill dynasty subsequently divided into two septs, the Northern Uí Néill who remained in Ulster, and the Southern Uí Néill who now ruled over several small, disjointed kingdoms established throughout modern-day Meath, Westmeath and Dublin. Following the split, a series of internecine conflicts erupted between members of
5974-438: The constitutional position of the lordship in Ireland became uncertain. Following Henry's split with the church, the Tudors heralded the end of monastic Meath. Church Lands which comprised roughly one-third of the county were seized and granted to Protestant English statesmen and soldiers as a form of payment. Monasteries were suppressed and their treasures were either looted or scattered by Irish scholars to protect them. Meath
6077-430: The county include Trim , Kells , Laytown , Ashbourne , Dunboyne , Slane and Bettystown . Colloquially known as "The Royal County", the historic Kingdom of Meath was the seat of the High King of Ireland and, for a time, was also the island's fifth province . Ruled for centuries by the Southern Uí Néill dynasty, in the late 1100s the kingdom was invaded by the Anglo-Norman conqueror Hugh de Lacy , who ousted
6180-554: The county is part of the Mid-East Region – a NUTS III entity – which is in turn part of the level II NUTS entity – Eastern and Midland Region . Meath County Council is the local authority governing County Meath. It has 40 councillors, and the county is divided into divided into six local electoral areas , each of which also forms a municipal district: Ashbourne (6), Kells (7), Laytown–Bettystown (7), Navan (7), Ratoath (7) and Trim (6). Fine Gael currently hold 11 seats, Fianna Fáil hold 9, Sinn Féin hold 6, Aontú hold 2, and
6283-443: The county. Meath is one of the smallest contributors to the national timber supply, and over two-thirds of Meath's forests are broadleaf – the highest of any county – as opposed to more commercially viable conifers . Additionally, three-quarters of forests within the county are privately owned. Under Köppen climate classification , Meath experiences a maritime temperate oceanic climate with cool winters, mild humid summers, and
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#17330925005476386-431: The driest month is June with 67 mm (3 in). Humidity is high year-round and rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. A number of synoptic stations which record rainfall are located throughout the county. The driest parts of the county are in the east and south, while the wettest are in the west. Julianstown near the east coast receives 781 mm (31 in) of rainfall per year, while Oldcastle in
6489-402: The earlier Kings of Tara, although there were no contemporary references to either the Kings of Tara or Mide being referred to as Ard-Rí prior to the 9th century. During the reign of Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill in the 970s, the fort of Dun-na-Scia near Lough Ennell became the permanent royal residence, thereby creating two seats of power within the kingdom – one for the High King and one for
6592-408: The experience of meeting and talking to Mr Mac Stíofáin very unpleasant". Mac Stíofáin said that Whitelaw put up his bluff exterior at first, but after a couple of minutes let it drop and showed himself to be a shrewd political operator; he also noted that Whitelaw was one of the few Englishmen to pronounce his name correctly. Following the unsuccessful talks, Mac Stíofáin ordered an intensification of
6695-410: The former asked the latter if Mac Stíofáin could be arrested. In reply, Lynch said that he couldn't as the evidence against him was flimsy and he had a high degree of public support. On 19 November 1972, a controversial interview with Mac Stíofáin was broadcast on the RTÉ This Week radio programme. He was arrested in Dublin on the same day and the interview was later used as evidence against him on
6798-400: The funeral, issued a glowing tribute, referring to Mac Stíofáin as an "outstanding IRA leader during a crucial period in Irish history" and as the "man for the job" as first Provisional IRA chief of staff. Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness also attended. In her oration, Ita Ní Chionnaigh of Conradh na Gaeilge, whose flag draped the coffin, lambasted Mac Stíofáin's "character assassination" by
6901-468: The government in Dublin, the introduction of new Anglican English settlers, seen as more reliable by the English government, undermined the power of the Anglo-Norman aristocracy who had remained overwhelmingly Catholic following the Reformation . Although there was a fervent anti-Catholic sentiment in England at this time, no punitive laws were enacted out of fear that they would provoke further rebellion. However, this changed following England's victory over
7004-405: The highest concentration of zinc per square kilometre on Earth. The ubiquity of these minerals gave rise to the term " Irish-type " lead-zinc deposits, which is a descriptive term for lead-zinc deposits hosted in carbonate rocks. Meath's landscape was shaped during the Last Glacial Period , which ended 11,700 years ago. The soils of the county are mostly derived from glacial till , consisting of
7107-446: The kingdom. de Lacy made the ecclesiastic centre of Trim his stronghold, constructing a huge ringwork castle defended by a stout double palisade and external ditch on top of the hill. With de Lacy now at the border of Ua Ruairc's outermost settlement of Kells, a parlay was arranged and the two leaders met on the Hill of Ward for negotiations. During these negotiations, a dispute erupted and de Lacy's men killed Ua Ruairc. Both sides blamed
7210-427: The land of saints and scholars ", is in reference to this period. Patronage of the Church was also used as a political tool to project wealth and prestige in Irish kingdoms until the 16th century. Successive High Kings and Kings of Meath supported the establishment of prominent religious settlements and institutions, such as Kells and Clonard Abbey , the latter of which taught Ireland's most significant saints, dubbed
7313-437: The language. While incarcerated in Wormwood Scrubs and Brixton prisons, he learned not only a smattering of Greek from the Cypriot EOKA prisoners (he befriended Nikos Sampson ) but also "the realities of an anti-British rule guerrilla campaign". Upon being granted parole in 1959, Mac Stíofáin went to the Republic of Ireland with his wife and young family and settled in Dublin, and later Navan , and became known under
7416-608: The late 6th century AD Christianity had supplanted Celtic Paganism in every corner of the island. In a similar manner to how the Celts assimilated prehistoric traditions into their beliefs, many Celtic pagan beliefs and festivities were adapted to Celtic Christianity , such as Samhain , which became Halloween , and Imbolc , which became St. Brigid's Day. By the 7th century a network of monasteries and religious settlements had been set up throughout Ireland and Western Scotland , supported by local kings and chieftains. Beginning at this time,
7519-449: The lordship followed over the next century. The Lordship was formally shired in 1297 into the County of Meath. Following this, Meath developed into the largest and wealthiest shire in Ireland, with the eastern portion characterized by well-populated market towns, nucleated villages and a strong commercial focus on labour-intensive cereal cultivation, with one English official noting that Meath
7622-630: The loyalty of the IRA national organisation, save for a few isolated instances (that of the IRA Company of the Lower Falls Road, Belfast , under the command of Billy McMillen , and other small units in Derry, Newry, Dublin and Wicklow). Mac Stiofáin's men soon came to be known as the Provisional IRA . Nicknamed "Mac the Knife", Mac Stíofáin was a dedicated "physical-force" republican who believed that violence
7725-499: The meetings. In March 1983, Mac Stíofáin appealed to the IRA to declare a ceasefire. In the 1980s and 1990s, Mac Stíofáin became active in the Irish-language organisation Conradh na Gaeilge . At that organisation's centenary celebration held in Dublin's O'Connell Street in 1993, he was a guest of honour on the platform. He remained a member of the standing committee ( Coiste Gnó ) of Conradh na Gaeilge until his death. He lived in
7828-413: The most powerful branch of the southern Uí Néill, had conquered or subdued all neighbouring clans in Meath, and the Uí Néill were recognised as their suzerain . Domnall was now in possession of both Tara, the seat of the Uí Néill, and the Hill of Uisneach , which held symbolic significance as the geographical centre of Ireland . Having secured his power in the heart of the island, Domnall now presided over
7931-408: The most prominent Anglo-Norman families, who were meant to act as England's viceroys in Ireland, no longer followed English laws or customs. English authority continued to retreat eastward until Trim, Athboy and Kells were the outermost settlements of The Pale , an area centred around Dublin where English law was still obeyed. This situation meant that by the 1500s part of County Meath was within
8034-487: The organisation. The underlying issue was the uncompromising stand of Kerry in refusing recognition to Westminster , Leinster House and Stormont . Mac Stiofáin was subsequently appointed the chief of staff of the Provisional Army Council. At the Sinn Féin Árd Fheis in Dublin on 10 January 1970, Mac Stíofáin declared from the podium that he pledged his "allegiance to the Provisional Army Council" before leading
8137-571: The other, with the Irish annals reporting that Ua Ruairc was " treacherously slain ". By 1175, de Lacy had conquered the entire territory, executing Magnus Ua Máel Sechlainn that year. He expanded existing settlements into charter towns throughout Meath, including Trim, Athboy, Kells and Navan; and he married Rose Ní Conchobair , the High-King's daughter, in order to cement his claim as Lord of Meath. Hugh de Lacy died in 1186 and several informal divisions and feuds among de Lacy's descendants over control of
8240-410: The people of Ireland acting as a unit; (2) a declaration of intent by the British government to withdraw from Northern Ireland by January 1975; and (3) the unconditional release of all political prisoners. The British claimed this was impossible owing to the commitment it had given to unionists . The talks ended in failure, and as a briefing for prime minister Edward Heath later noted, Whitelaw "found
8343-529: The previous decade had been a tumultuous time in Meath. There were four rival heirs to the kingship and each claimant held a different part of the kingdom. The strongest claim came from the King of Breifne, Tigernán Ua Ruairc , who – through conquest, marriage and an alliance with the church – had subsumed almost all of eastern Meath into his kingdom by the time of the Norman arrival. Strongbow also had nominal claim to Meath as King of Leinster. A war of succession within
8446-558: The principle of abstentionism in December 1969, a troika comprising Mac Stiofáin, Dáithí Ó Conaill and Seamus Twomey together with others established themselves as a "Provisional Army Council" in anticipation of a contentious 1970 Sinn Féin Árd Fheis . At this, the Marxist leadership of Sinn Féin failed to attain the prerequisite two-thirds majority necessary to overturn the party's constitutional opposition to " partitionist " assemblies. This
8549-501: The smallest officially defined geographical divisions in Ireland, there are approximately 1,634 townlands in the county. Historic town boundaries are registered as their own townlands and much larger than rural townlands which, within County Meath, are typically small in size, ranging from just 1 acre to 2,681 acres, with the average size of a townland in the county (excluding towns) being 356 acres. For statistical purposes at EU level ,
8652-502: The southern half of the island. The Kingdom of Leinster immediately rebelled against Boru and allied with the Norse Kingdom of Dublin . Mide and Munster formed a defensive alliance and, after a series of campaigns throughout 998–999, crushed the forces of Leinster and Dublin, which both became vassals of Munster. Boru now believed that Munster was the most powerful kingdom in Ireland and therefore he, and not Máel Sechnaill, should be
8755-521: The then Catholic archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Ryan , and his predecessor, John Charles McQuaid . After 57 days, he ended his strike when asked to do so by the IRA Army Council . Some have reported that council members Ruairí Ó Brádaigh and Dáithí Ó Conaill ordered him off the strike. However, Ó Brádaigh, by this time, had also been arrested. In fact, when he was transferred into the Glasshouse of
8858-587: The van carrying the stolen weapons some hours later, due to it being so overloaded that it was going at about 20 mph on the Braintree bypass with a queue of traffic behind it. On 19 August 1953, he was sentenced, along with Cathal Goulding and Manus Canning , to eight years' imprisonment by a court in Bishop's Stortford , Hertfordshire. It was in the run-up to the raid that Mac Stíofáin learned his first few words of Irish from Cathal Goulding. He later became fluent in
8961-408: The walkout of disgruntled members to form what would become Provisional Sinn Féin . The split also ended Mac Stíofáin's friendship with Cathal Goulding, who went on to serve as chief of staff of the rival Official IRA . Although both had been good personal friends before the split, Goulding was later scathing about "that English Irishman". The "Provisional Army Council" in the coming months commanded
9064-410: The west receives 1,002 mm (39 in). The annual precipitation at Dunsany is 847 mm (33 in). Snow showers generally occur between November and March, but prolonged or heavy snow events are rare. Although frost is common in the central and western areas of the county, temperatures typically fall below 0 °C (32 °F) on just a few days per year. The lowest ever temperature in Meath
9167-450: The workings of intelligence officers in the IRA's local units across the island. a. Griffin was Director of Intelligence of the IRA's Four Courts General Headquarters b. Hyde was Director of Intelligence of the IRA's Field Headquarters General Headquarters County Meath County Meath ( / m iː ð / MEEDH ; Irish : Contae na Mí or simply an Mhí , lit. ' middle ' )
9270-491: The youngest rocks are of Paleogene age, and were formed as a result of volcanic activity. These are found in small dykes and sills throughout the county. Crustal stretching beneath Ireland during the Carboniferous allowed fluids to infiltrate through faults in the rock, and extensive mineralisation occurred. Most notably, zinc-bearing Sphalerite and lead-bearing Galena were deposited in vast quantities, giving Ireland
9373-577: Was "as well inhabited as any shire in England". Many of the Lordship of Ireland's judges, barristers and government officials such as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland , Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer and Chief Justice of the Common Pleas for Ireland hailed from the county. Between the 13th and 15th centuries, English power diminished significantly in Ireland for three primary reasons. Firstly, there
9476-530: Was a reconsolidation and resurgence in the power of the Irish kingdoms which had been shattered during the Norman invasion. Secondly, the onset of the Black Death devastated nucleated settlements such as walled Anglo-Norman towns but had a significantly smaller impact in more sparsely populated Gaelic kingdoms. Lastly, and of most concern to the English crown, the gradual gaelicisation of the Normans meant that many of
9579-506: Was an English solicitor's clerk and his mother a Londoner of Ulster Protestant east Belfast descent. He stated his mother had left an impression on him at the age of seven with her instruction: "I'm Irish, therefore you're Irish… Don't forget it." His childhood was marred by his alcoholic father. His mother, who doted over her son, died when Mac Stíofáin was 10. Mac Stíofáin attended Catholic schools, where he came into contact with pro- Sinn Féin Irish students. He left school in 1944 at
9682-814: Was banished from Ireland by the High King Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair for the abduction of Lady of Meath Derbforgaill ingen Maeleachlainn , wife of Tigernán Ua Ruairc , King of Breifne . Mac Murchada returned with Norman allies and landed at Bannow in Wexford in 1169, after which they conquered northward throughout 1169–70, initiating the Norman Invasion of Ireland . In response, the High King assembled an alliance which included King Magnus Ua Máel Sechlainn of Meath as well as soldiers from Connacht , Breifne and Dublin along with their respective kings. They confronted Mac Murchada's forces at Ferns and an agreement
9785-720: Was bringing to the IRA. Appointed IRA Director of Intelligence in 1966, Mac Stíofáin continued to voice his opposition to the Goulding line and was gaining support among members. Despite his hostility to the left-wing direction, he was prominent in agitations in Midleton against ground-rent landlordism, the Dublin Housing Action Committee and against foreign buy-outs of Irish farmland in County Meath , where he moved with his family in 1966. A tall, well-built man, Mac Stíofáin
9888-571: Was despite the disbandment of pro-abstentionist branches and district committees, such as the 1966 dissolution of the entire North Kerry Comhairle Ceantair of Sinn Féin, embracing 13 cumainn (branches) and 250 members and including three local councillors and expulsion of leading figures such as May Daly (sister of Charlie Daly, executed at Drumboe, Donegal, in 1923), John Joe Rice , Sinn Féin TD from 1957 to 1961 and John Joe Sheehy , veteran republican and Kerry footballer. Many others were similarly ousted from
9991-493: Was invaded by Tyrone and its allies in 1539 who raided as far south as Navan, which was razed to the ground. King Conn O'Neill had been recognized as " King of our realm in Ireland " by Pope Paul III and was encouraged to expel Protestant influence from the island. However, the conflict stoked an unexpectedly swift reaction from the typically lethargic Dublin government, and Tyrone was defeated by Lord Deputy Grey and forced to sue for peace in 1541. Henry had broken away from
10094-403: Was on the nearby Hill of Tara celebrating a pagan festival. Patrick was then summoned to the king's court and so impressed Lóegaire with his teachings that he was allowed to continue preaching Christianity across Ireland. While Christian missionaries were documented in Ireland long before the time of Saint Patrick, and accounts of his activities are heavily shrouded in myth, what is known is that by
10197-554: Was reached whereby Mac Murchada was acknowledged as king of Leinster, in return for acknowledging Ruaidrí as his overlord and agreeing to send his foreign allies away permanently. However, Mac Murchada breached the agreement and enlisted more Normans to his side before continuing his conquests, capturing Dublin in 1171 and forcing the capitulation of Magnus Ua Máel Sechlainn. Following Mac Murchada's death in May 1171, Strongbow succeeded him as King of Leinster and, once again, Magnus joined
10300-446: Was recorded in December 2010, at −13.3 °C (8 °F). Summer daytime temperatures range between 15 °C (59 °F) and 22 °C (72 °F), with temperatures rarely going beyond 25 °C (77 °F). As with rainfall, the sunniest areas of the county are located along the coast. The climate gets progressively duller and wetter inland due to the convective development of clouds over land. The county's geological landscape
10403-455: Was regarded as a rather stoic personality who did not drink or smoke. He was a devout Catholic , and was infuriated by an article in the United Irishman , by Roy Johnston , condemning the reciting of the Rosary at republican commemorations as " sectarian ". For refusing to distribute the newspaper, he was suspended from the IRA for six months. When an IRA special army convention voted to drop
10506-524: Was the only means to bring about an end to Northern Ireland 's status as part of the United Kingdom . In his autobiography, he set out the aims of the Provisional IRA as moving from "area defence" to "combined defence and retaliation" and then a "third phase of launching an all-out offensive action against the British occupation system". He also gave a detailed account of his development of the tactic of
10609-589: Was within the Meath–Westmeath constituency. Between 1923 and 2007 a total of 31 general elections and by-elections were held. Following the demise of Cumann na nGaedheal in the 1930s, national politics in the Meath and Meath–Westmeath constituencies was dominated by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour Party. During those years, the Meath and Meath–Westmeath constituencies returned a total of 106 TDs to Dáil Éireann , of which 54 were from Fianna Fáil, 34 from Fine Gael and 11 from Labour; with Cumann na nGaedheal and
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