I wish to share one minute of my time with Senator Hannigan if that is agreed.
I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment. I also declare an interest in that my grandfather, James Keaveney, spent 13 months in hut 27 of one of the camps in Ballykinlar. As he did not speak to many about his experience afterwards, as is the case with most prisoners, we hold on to the one story he did leave. He had a white handkerchief with a red stain on it. When in later years his son asked him about it he said that one of two men who were in two huts separated by a wire fence had received a package from home. They tried to share information with each other about what was in a letter. The guards watching decided that they were planning an escape and so they shot one of the men but the bullet went through him and also killed the other. My grandfather said he dipped his handkerchief in the blood so that he would never forget what had happened.
I have read in archival sources that this episode is recorded simply that the guards had orders to shoot anyone approaching the wire and no one doubted they were quite prepared to shoot. In January 1921, James Sloan and James Tormey, both from County Westmeath, were shot down in Ballykinlar camp for getting too close to the wire, as it were.
I maintain we should not forget James Keaveney and the many other prisoners of the internment camps of Ballykinlar, Frongoch and the Curragh. As we move into a new phase in Irish history, the ability to look at our history, to understand what brought us to where we are and to explore remembrance is needed as much as ever. There are many people on the island of Ireland who had relatives in these camps and who struggle to get any information as to who was there, how long they were there and the reason for their internment.
The websites show the autograph books and the comments made by many of the families and comments made by the prisoners. Many people of my generation do not even know that Ballykinlar existed. I have visited other locations recently as I am currently doing a report for the Council of Europe on how to teach history in areas of recent conflict and the message is clear: to proceed by ignoring history can only lead to problems. Remembrance and viewing history from many perspectives can only enhance the experience for the student. It assists them to develop a critical and analytical mind, which is what all employers want.
I suggest that talks be commenced with our Northern counterparts to develop an interpretative centre at Ballykinlar where all archives can be sourced, collated and put on display. This could link into a larger project in the other two internment camp locations which would thereby link Wales and the North and South of Ireland. I have already had interactions with people who hold significant photo, arrest warrant and death certificate primary source materials. If these types of resources are not collated now they will be gone for good. Already we have lost the primary source of the prisoners and guards themselves; we have no more time to lose.
This may be controversial. Some people say they cannot decide on what to do with the site of the Maze Prison but I do not regard these two issues as being the same. The time factor is significant, as is the historical context. We are approaching the anniversary of the 1916 Rising and the 1920-21 activities evolve from that. It is an opportunity to work to putting the various bits of information in some format that will be accessible for all. Marc Bloch said that history can be a knife to kill or cut meat. In this instance I want history to be useful and just to cut meat. As I search the web pages under Ballykinlar for more information and more understanding of my past, I trust this Adjournment matter may be the beginning of what I call an all-Ireland cultural tourism project similar to those taking place across Europe and beyond. The fact I am sharing my time with a colleague on the Opposition benches shows that this is a consideration worthy of more thought.
