FERMANAGHFACTS

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FERMANAGH CIVIL RIGHTS ASSOCIATION

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IntroductionThe Fermanagh Civil Rights Association presents this docu-

ment to the conscience of all citizens. Many of the facts it con-tains have already been placed in the hands of the Cameron Com-mission. These facts are as accurate as we could make them :where there was a possibility of error, we have tried to erragainst ourselves. Certainly we have avoided exaggeration.

We have been forced to refer many times to Catholics andProtestants. This religious emphasis is not of our choosing: it hasbeen forced upon us by the attitude of the Unionist-Orangemanipulators of power in Fermanagh, to whom a Catholic is anenemy, a Protestant a friend. This mentality has given rise tomany of the abuses existing in Fermanagh today, as, for example,the creation of religious ghettos or deliberately depriving certainareas of employment. Both of these abuses affect Protestants justas much as Catholics; and it is our purpose to demand justice forthe underprivileged of all religions.

Basing our case on the facts presented in these pages

We accuse the Unionists of the gerrymander of the StormontElectoral boundaries.

We accuse them of the gerrymander of local governmentelectoral boundaries.

We accuse them of discrimination, religious and political, in theallocation of employment.

We accuse them of discrimination, religious and political, in theallocation of council houses.

We accuse them of discrimination, religious and political, in thesiting of industries.

We accuse them of a deliberate effort to eradicate the Catholicmajority of County Fermanagh.

We accuse them of having proved themselves unfit to hold anypower in a state which claims to be democratic.

We demand their immediate removal from power.

Signed

Frank MacManus, Vice-Chairman.

Colm Gillespie, Secretary, Fermanagh C.R.A.

1

Chapter One

THE STORMONT GERRYMANDERThe Unionist representatives in Stormont frequently refer

to themselves as “Democratically elected”. In Fermanagh thereare three constituencies — Enniskillen, Lisnaskea and SouthFermanagh — whose boundaries have been arranged in such away that no democratic representation is possible (see map 1.)Neither of the present two Unionist M.P.s, Captain John Brookefor Lisnaskea and Mr. Harry West for Enniskillen can claim tobe a democratically elected representative.

The Stormont constituency boundaries, fixed under theHouse of Commons (Methods of voting and Redistribution ofSeats) Act (N. I.) 1929, ensure that the Catholic majority of Fer-managh returns only one M.P. while the Protestant minority re-turns two.

The results of the 1949 Stormont election show how thegerrymander works. We have chosen this particular election be-cause it was the last clear-cut confrontation in all three con-stituencies between the Unionist (Protestant) and Nationalist(Catholic) parties. The results were: —

ENNIKILLEN E. C, Ferguson (Unionist) 5,706W. Blake (Nationalist) 4,729

LISNASKEA . Sir B. Brooke (Unionist) 5,593J. Carron (Nationalist) 4,173

SOUTH FERMANAGH - C. Healy (Nationalist) 6,680F. Patterson (Unionist) 2,596

The total Nationalist vote was - 15,582The total Unionist vote was - 13,895

IN OTHER WORDS THE UNIONISTS OF FERMANAGH POLLED1,687 FEWER VOTES THAN THE NATIONALISTS, YET THEYRETURNED TWO REPRESENTATIVES TO THE NATIONA-LISTS’ ONE.

The gerrymancler works on a very simple principle : In theUnionist Constituencies the Nationalist minority is made aslarge as possible, whereas in the Nationalist constituency theUnionist minority is made as small as possible. This ensures amaximum “waste” of Nationalist votes and a maximum utilisat-ion of Unionist votes. In Enniskillen constituency, for example4,729 votes were “wasted” votes so far as the Nationalists wereconcerned. In the whole of Fermanagh, then, there were 8,902wasted Nationalist votes, but only 2,596 wasted Unionist votes.

2

3

We might summarize the gerrymander system in Fermanaghthus :

As large a Nationalist minority as possible in a Unionistarea; as small a Unionist minority as possible in a Nationa-list area. Make every possible Unionist vote count; makeevery possible Nationalist vote worthless.

We shall show how this principle was also applied mosteffectively in the drawing of local government boundaries.

Since the stormont electoral boundaries are to be reviewed,we give these figures as evidence of intentional gerrymandering,in the past, of Unionist misrepresentation in the present, and ofprobable malpractice in the future.

The Fermanagh C.R.A. will be closely scrutinizing the re-view of the boundaries, and will be alert to any attempt at im-posing a new gerrymander. The fairest representation thisCounty could have at the present moment is one Unionist M.P.and one opposition M.P. A child could draw the boundary toprovide for this.

(IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT IN VIEW OF THE PRO-POSED CHANGES IN BOTH STORMONT AND LOCALGOVERNMENT BOUNDARIES, THAT EVERY ADULT INFERMANAGH MAKES SURE HIS NAME IS ON THE ELEC-TORAL REGISTER. )

Chapter Two

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT GERRYMANDER

“When the Government of Northern Ireland decided to doaway with proportional representation, the chance that we hadbeen waiting for, for so long, arrived. We took advantage. Wedivided the County in the way that we thought best.”

W. T. Millar, M.P. for Fermanagh-Tyrone, 12th July, 1923.‘The facts of local government in Fermanagh may be sum-

marized in one word — gerrymander. How this gerrymander wasarranged requires some brief historical explanation.

In 1920, under proportional representation, the -Nationalistparty gained control of five of the County’s seven local councils:Fermanagh County, Enniskillen Urban, Lisnaskea Rural, ClonesNo. 2 Rural, and Belleek Rural. The Unionists took IrvinestownRural and Enniskillen Rural, the latter by one vote. The Nationa-lists had a total of 63 seats, the Unionists 57. In view of the popu-lation at that time (56 per cent Catholic), this was fair represen-tation.

Once the state of Northern Ireland came into being, theUnionist party went to work on the takeover of local governmentin Fermanagh. The Clones No. 2 and Belleek Rural districts wereabolished in April 1921, Clones No. 2 being added to Lisnaskeoand Belleek to Irvinestown. (It had originally been intended toplace Belleek with the Enniskillen Rural, but the Unionists reali-zed thalt this would give Enniskillen Rural to the Nationalists.)

Enniskillen Urban fell to the Unionists because of the ab-sence in October 1921 of one Nationalist from a crucial meetingto co-opt a new member. In December 1921 Fermanagh CountyCcuncil and Lisnaskea R.D.C, were dissolved for refusing torecognize the Northern Ireland Parliament.

In September 1922 P.R. was abolished for local governmentelections and the Unionist party proceeded to work on the boun-daries. By 1924 the gerrymander, which was still in operationuntil two years ago, was complete (see map 2.)

The following (1924) figures show the result: —

Enniskillen R.D.C. 9,817 Catholics 9 representatives9,097 Protestants 17

Enniskillen U.D.C. 2,688 Catholics 7 2,159 Protestants 14

Irvinestown R.D.C. 8,077 Catholics 8 6,762 Protestants 11

Lisnaskea R.D.C. 9,078 Catholics 13 4,162 Protestants 18

5

6

This was achieved on the principle ofvote, as explained in Chapter One.

The following figures are based onmediately before the amalgamation of the

Irvinestown RuralDistrict

AghamuldowneyBallinamallardBelleekBrookhillCastlecaldwellChurchillClonellyDrumrushEderneyGarrisonInishmacsaintIrvinestownKeshKilladeasLackLattoneLisnarickMagheraculmoneyMilltown—

TOTALS

Catholics

31625

42879

26610264

132298228338471

6958

135247105

59132

3,552

the wasted Nationalist

election registers im-councils in 1967.

Protestants

48471

87268

5621717026612714820

189334291232

22188185254

3,573

N

N

N

NNNN

N

8

u

u

uuu

uuu

uuu

--11

Average Protestant majority 175

CatholicMajority

268

341

210

17180

318282

225

1,905

ProtestantMajority

446

189

115116134

265233

97

83126122

1,926—— —.-

Average Catholic majority 237

Protestant Votes wasted 694

Catholic Votes wasted 960

7

Enniskillen RuralDistrict

AghnaglackBallycassidyBallyreaghCastlecooleClabbyCoolyermorCorraglassDerrybruskDoaghDrumaneDrumdergDrummeeEnniskillen RuralFlorencecourtGarvaryHolywellKillesherKinawleyKinglassLisbellawLisbofinMoneaNewportonoldbarrRahaltonTempo

TOTALS

Catholics

25598

249116

881669598

297222

9315420210515533091

267232

3310014581

278194270

3,334

Protestants

15305

6320228o20324119283

15524836832S262259

5918650

138380313317365

36267150

5,312

Representatives

N

N

NN

N

NN

N

N

9

u

uuuuu

uuuuu

u

uuuu

u

17

CatholicMajority

240

186

21467

271

21794

242

120

1,651

Average Protestant majority

Average Catholic majority

Protestant Votes wasted

Catholic Votes wasted

175

183

749

2,114

ProtestantMajority

207

86192

3714694

155204123157104

95

347213172284

73

2,689

8

I

Lisnaskea RuralDistrict

AghakillymaudAghyouleArmagh ManorBallindarraghBelleisleBrookeboroughCarnmoreCastlebalfourClonkeelanColebrookeCoolnamarrowCorralongfordCrossCromDeerparkDerryleaDerrysteatonDresternanDrumullyDrumshimuckEshnadarraghGreenhillKilmoreLisnaskeaMagheraveelyMaguiresbridgeMullaghfadMullynagowanNewtownbutIerRosleaSpringtown———.

TOTALS –

—.——C a t h o l i c s

25623426311312516625926518878

29813592

105154

118219113333257249

63214218147159116170197335266

5,905

Protcstants

694028

243174230

11379105254

62173271181209139

81273

6132

25471

327249227128185219

4030

4,745

Representatives

NNN

N

N

N

N

NNN

N

NN

13

uuu

u

u

uuuuu

u

u

uuuuuu

18

Average Protestant majorityAverage Catholic majorityProtestant Votes wastedCatholic Votes wasted

88212630

2,439

CatholicMajority

2 0 7194235

248

83

236

138

272225249

143

295236

2 , 7 6 1

ProtestantMajority

1304964

114

196

38179765521

160

191

109102

68121522

1,601

E n n i s k i l l e n B o r o u g h

East Ward 469 993North Ward 1,154 572 NSouth Ward 335 643

— —Totals 1,958 2,218

—

—

Average Protestant majorityAverage Catholic majorityProtestant Votes wastedCatholic Votes wasted

Totals for Co. Fermanagh :Protestant Votes wastedCatholic Votes wasted

Iu I 524

582

308

832

416582572804

2,6456,317

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Chapter Three

THE RE-ORGANISATION OF LOCALGOVERNMENT IN COUNTY FERMANAGHIn 1966-7 Fermanagh became the model for the rest of N.

Ireland in the matter of modernizing Local Government. TheP.E. Consulting Group Ltd. was engaged to advise on the amal-gamation of all four CounciIs in Fermanagh into one, more effi-cient County Council. Everyone in Fermanagh agreed that theidea was sound, but the way the Unionists party put it into prac-tice has caused much of the unrest Fermanagh has seen inthe past months.

No member of the opposition was invited to join the steeringCommittee responsible for the amalgamation.

Only eight days were allowed for consideration of the P.E.Consulting Group’s substantial report and for meetings to dis-solve the old district Councils. So ruthlessly was the businesspushed through that, because of delays in the Christmas mail,some opposition councillors received neither the report nor thesummonses to the meetings until after the meetings had beenheld.

The apposition Councillors offered suggestions and amend-ments to the Council. All were rejected out of hand. The amal-gamation was accepted in toto as the Unionists had decided itshouId be, by a party vote. All discussion was guillotined by thechairman of the new Fermanagh County Council, Captain JohnBrooke.

Significantly, the only aspect of reorganization on which theP.E. Consulting Group had not been asked to adv!sc was the man-ner of electing Councillors.

The Unionist party had its own experts for this particularproblem. Since the old gerrymandered districts were 76 in num-ber, not counting the Enniskillen wards, the first question washow to reduce the number of Councillors while preserving thebalance of power in the Unionist’s favour. It was decided to im-pose a new gerrymander on top of the old.

The existing areas were to be grouped in fours (See Map 3),each group returning two Councillors, while the three unalteredEnniskillen wards would return four Councillors each. Yet, evenhere, the Unionists had to be careful: not every possible group-ing would preserve Unionist power. In fact it was possible, evenusing the old gerrymandered boundaries, to have arranged thegrouping in such a way that the Unionists would have lost con-trol.

So the grouping was done very carefully indeed, and withsome peculiar results as, for example, the combination of Belle-isle, Maguiresbridge, Greenhill, and Cross, or of Aghyoule, Drum-

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shimuck, Crom and Derrysteaton. The end result is that, of thefifty Councillors “elected” in Fermanagh, 36 were intended to beUnionist and only 16 opposition. (Two Councillors, always Union-ist, are co-opted). We say “intended to be”, because Mr. P..Reihill of Irvinestown got a seat he was not supposed to get; sothe ‘actual figures at present are 35 Unionist and 17 opposition.

The following figures, based on post-amalgamation regis-ters show how the new gerrymander works.—

ELECTORAL DIVISIONS CATHOLICS PROTESTANTS-

1. Ballinamallard 22 458Ballyreagh 250Garvary

59160 , 223

Newporton

Totals—— .—— —2. Brookeborough

ColebrookeCorralongfordMullaghfad

Totals7. Enniskillen Rural

BallycassidyCastlecooleDerrybrusk

Totals

—

—

58I

342

738120253293224

890265310250

833

1,082——— — —242207166128

743159

54245236

694184455535

364419243200

1,226-— .-

12

ELECTORAL DIVISIONS. — — . . _ _8. Florencecourt

CorraglassKillesherKinglass

Totals9. Holywell

AghnaglackLattoneOldbarr

Totals10. Irvinestown

LisnarickKilladeasMilltown

Totals11. Inishmacsaint

AghamuldowneyBelleekGarrison

Totals12. Lack

EderneyKeshMagheraculmoney

Totals13. Coolyermor

DrumaneDrummee } Larragh Division

Lisbofin

Totals— . —14. Lisbellaw

ClabbvDrumdergTempo

Totals15. Lisnaskea

—

BallindarraghCastlebalfourDeerpark

Totals

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CATHOLICS——10588

495— —337253237257

757327303418223

1,2711233046665

12421516485

249

483204116339142

801

PROTESTANTS

266198165147

77649

111205201285263

95427

303218126366175

8 8 5 _176153424307

1,025245227415178

1,065

Totals

Totals

285176

754315 .248119240

922

4571,006

369

1,832.

852 __212

92223

1 9 0

717

3113

236

280

950586842

The most noticeable difference between the above set offigures and the previous set is the change in the Catholic popula-tion of Enniskillen North Ward. This is explained by the fact thatsince amalgamation Fermanagh Co. Council has erected a hous-ing estate in Enniskillen Rural, outside the borough boundary, forrehousing the people from demolished slum areas in the NorthWard.

The present position in Fermanagh local Government elec-tions is:—Total of Catholic Voters 15,756 (for Westminster 15,617)Total of Protestant Voters 15,786 (for Westminster 15,461)Number of Catholic votes

wasted 8,018Number of Protestant votes

wasted 2,764Catholic representation 17 CouncillorsProtestant representation 35 Councillors

According to the above figures, the opposition Councillors

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should number 18 (or 19 with Mr. Reihill) after the next localGovernment elections. Since the Unionist party intended to re-tain 36 seats, it is plain that a miscalculation occurred some-where. A comparison between the pre-amalgamation and post-amalgamation figures for Newtownbutler, Cloonkeelan, Maghera-veely and Mullynagowan will show where the slip was made.

At the time of amalgamation: —CATHOLICS PROTES T A NT S

N e w t o w n b u t l e r 197 219C l o n k e e l a n 188 105M a g h e r a v e e l y 147 249M u l l y a n g o w a n 170 185

T o t a l s 702 758

There was then a Protestant majority of 56. Newtownbutler,therefore, is still represented by two Unionist Councillors. Butthe most recent figures show that there is now a Catholic majori-ty of 37:—

CATHOLICS PROTESTANTSN e w t o w n b u t l e r 231 212C l o n k e e l a n 179 92Magheraveel y 150) 223

M u l l y a n g o w a n 194 190

T o t a l s 754 717

Fermanagh Co. Council proposals for dealing with thissituation show how far the Unionist party is prepared to go inorder to preserve its gerrymander. They intend to create a newvillage at Donagh, nearly four miles from Newtownbutler~-specifically to rehouse Catholics from the Newtownbutler area.It is no accident that Donagh happens to be in a different divis-ion, Derrylea, where the Catholic majority is already 615.

tion

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Fermanagh C.R.A. Action Committee investigated the situa-in Newtownbutler and we discovered:—

That the Nationalist Councillors for Derrylea say there isno need for so many Houses at Donagh.

That the people of Newtownbutler have no desire to moveto Donagh.

That the Council made no attempt whatsoever to discoverthe feelings of people they propose to move.

That the Council already owned sufficient suitable land tobuild the houses in Newtownbutler.

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(5)

(6)

(7)

That the site at Donagh possessed no drainage, which wouldhave to be installed at considerable cost (some say £17,000)to the ratepayers.That the available site in Newtownbutler has easy accessto sewerage, water and electricity.That the representatives of the Newtownbutler peoplehave met with nothing but obstinate silence in their at-tempts to discuss matters with the Council.The Donagh affair, which the Newtownbutler people with

our help propose to fight to the bitter end, shows the arroganceand indifference with which the Unionist party treats humans asindividuals and as communities when it is a question of preserv-ing the gerrymander of County Fermanagh.

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Chapter Four

FERMANAGH LOCAL GOVERNMENTThe population of Fermanagh is approximately 52% Catholic.

The County Council consists of 50 “elected” and 2 co-opted mem-bers. 35 Councillors are Protestant, 17 are Catholic. This un-democratic balance is reflected in all the Committees and ap-pointments made by the Council. We see no necessity to do morethan list the various committees and appointments referred to.

COUNTY OFFICERS: —

SecretaryFinance OfficerAccountmtSolicitorLocal Taxation OfficerCounty EngineerDivisional EngineersAssistant EngineersCounty ArchitectPoor Rate Collectors

Total

COMMITTEES: —

ProtestantProtestantProtestantProtestantProtestantProtestant2 Protestants, 1 Catholic3 ProtestantsProtestant10 Protestants, 1 Catholic

: 22 Protestants, 2 Catholics

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Education Committeeprotestants 9 ( + 2 appointed by Minister) 11Catholics 3Establishment and Management Advisory CommitteeProtestants 7 ( + 2 ex-officio members) 9Catholics 3Finance and General Purposes CommitteeProtestants 6Catholics 3Health CommitteeProtestants 6Catholics 3(Officers: —

Secretary ProtestantMedical Officer ProtestantDeputy Medical Officer - ProtestantSenior Dental Officer - ProtestantPublic Health Inspector - Protestant)

Housing Committee: —ProtestantsCatholics(Clerk - protestant)The Housing Committee has recently appointed a Transfer

17

Subcommittee with full Council powers.

Its composition : 2 Protestants, 1 Catholic,6. Library Committee: —

ProtestantsCatholics(County Librarian - Protestant)

7. Planning Committee: —ProtestantsCatholics(Planning Officer - ProtestantClerk - Protestant)

8. Public Works Committee: —ProtestantsCatholics(Clerk - Protestant)

9. Welfare Committee: —ProtestantsCatholics(Secretary - ProtestantWelfare Officer - Protestant)

10. Agricultural Committee: —Protestants 6 ( + 4 appointed to represent farmers+ 1 appointed to represent agricultural workers+ 2 appointed by the Minister) 13Catholics 3 ( + 1 appointed to represent farmers+ 1 appointed to represent agricultural workers) 5

NOTE : The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the CountyCouncil, both Protestants, are ex-officio members of all commit-tees; therefore two Protestants can be added to each committee,further tilting the balance against the Catholic representatives.

53

63

63

63

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Chapter Five

THE LIQUIDATION CAMPAIGN“The Nationalist majority in the county, notwithstanding a

reduction of 336 in the year, stands at 3,604. . .I would ask themeeting to authorize their executive to adopt whatever plans,and take whatever steps, however drastic, to wipe out thisNationalist majority”.

Mr. E. C. Ferguson, Unionist M.P. for Enniskillen, addres-sing the Annual Unionist Convention in Enniskillen, April, 1948.

That the meeting adopted Mr. Ferguson’s suggestion is onlytoo plain from the facts. The Census (1961 ) for Fermanaghshows that during the whole of this century the Catholic popula-tion of Fermanagh represented a steady 55% - 56%. Yet in 1961,thirteen years after Mr. Ferguson’s campaign began, it haddropped to an unprecedented 53.2% and the indications are thatit is still falling.

—Total

Year population— — — – —1901 65,4301911 61,8361926 57,9s41937 , 54,5691951 53,0441961 51,531

Other De- % R . C-

Catholics nominations— % _ _ _ _ % Majority— 36,198 55.3 29,232 44.7— 10.6

34,740 56.2 27,096 43.8 12.432,455 56.0 25,529 44.0 12.030,196 55.3 24,373 44.7 10.629,461 55.6 23,583 44.4 11.227,422 53.2 24,109 46.8 6.4

These figures reveal another important fact : that between1951 and 1961, in spite of a continuing pattern of decline in thewhole population of the county, the Protestant population actu-ally increased for the first time since 1901.

The Census itself says :“Between 1951 and 1961, the number of persons returned

as Roman Catholics under 10 years of age decreased by 6.1%while that for all others in the same age group increased by0.5%; in the range 10 to 21 years, respective increases of 8.370

and 15.9% were recorded. ”This is a phenomenon which can be explained in only one

way — emigration of Catholics. Certainly, as the Unionists them-selves never tire of pointing out, the Catholic birthrate cannotexplain such a decrease in population.

The Census continues. “At ages over 21, the number ofRoman Catholics decreased by 11.9;4,, compared with a decreaseof only 1.2°/0 for all others. ”

In other words, in ten years, the operative years of the

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Liquidation Campaign, the number of adult, employable Catholicmen and women dropped by nearly ten times as much as thenumber of similar people of other denominations.

Then the Census adds this peculiar comment :

“While the tendency in Northern Ireland as a whole for theRoman Catholic population to cantain a higher proportion ofyoung persons compared with the other main denominations stillapplies in Fermanagh, the relative differences in the broad agedistributions of the two groups are less marked than in mostother counties.”

Fermanagh is unique in the North. Why are the “relativedifferences” less marked? Because the Catholic people, havingreached an employable age, are forced to leave the county inlarge numbers. Young married couples, knowing the record ofUnionist-controlled Housing Committees, despair of getting ahouse in their own county and are forced to look elsewhere.Young men and women in search of employment leave the countyfor similar reasons.

We append graphs and sets of figures to show that thesestatements are grounded on fact. No one could explain the pecu-liar pattern of the Catholic population in Fermanagh, except interms of Mr. Ferguson’s liquidation campaign.

There is no other explanation.

Population (1961) according to age groups

20

Percentages of religious populations 1951 and 1961—

Age Catholics Other Denominations

I

The accompanying graphs illustrate the figures given in this chapter.

Graph No. 1 shows clearly the significant drop in the per-centage of Fermanagh’s Catholic population since 1951, whenthe liquidation campaign began to gather momentum.

Graph No. 2 shows the relative numbers of Catholics andother denominations in the year 1961 according to age groups.Assuming that nothing extraordinary happened to the Catholicbirthrate in Fermanagh at the time when the people in the 19 —35 age groups were born, the question arises : What happens toFermanagh’s Catholics once they reach the employable andmarriageable age of 19?

Graph No. 3 shows how the Catholic population of Ferman-agh has dropped relative to other denominations in the tenyears between 1951 and 1961.

All three graphs are a ‘tribute to the zeal and efficiency withwhich the Unionist Party adopted Mr. Ferguson’s request in1948.

It might also be added that of persons born in the Republicof Ireland resident in Fermanagh in 1961, 2,072 (including 848males) were Catholics, whereas 2,542 (including 1,166 males)were of other denominations. It would seem that, not contentwith driving the Catholics out, the Unionist party is also encour-aging Protestants to come in. Some significance might here beattached to the words of Mr. J. M. Andrews M.P. when he ad-dressed the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland in 1950 : “I fearthat we could not introduce a measure openly, to debar Catholicsfrom Eire and admitting Protestants from Eire to come and re-side in Northern Ireland. Clause 6 of the Government of IrelandAct forbade a privilege or preference on account of religion. Buta good deal can be done administratively.”

How much has been done “administratively” in Fermanagh?Part of the way in which the Liquidation Campaign has

been — and is still being — carried out is indicated in the fol-lowing chapters, which deal with discrimination by the Union-ists in employment, housing and industry.

21

.

22

. .

Chapter Six

LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT

The facts we present here speak for themselves. They aretaken from the County Council pay sheets for the month of April1969. The total obviously varies from month to month: we havetherefore omitted people casually employed. We also omit thefigures for labourers etc., especially as many of these would havebeen employed only on Winter relief schemes. (We also concedethat in the matter of picks and shovels the County Council exer-cises no discrimination).

Since education is a vexed subject, especially in N. Irelandand since we see no reason why Catholic schools should not em-ploy Catholics and Protestant schools Protestants, we omitfigures for people working in schools in any capacity. (The onlyexception we make is the Enniskillen Technical School, whichwe consider deserves attention.)

What remains is the hard-core of permanent Council-em-ployees. We stress once again that approximately 52 per centof the Fermanagh population is Catholic.

SECRETARIAT

County SecretaryAdministrative OfficerClerksClerk-Typists

FINANCE

County Finance OfficerAccountantClerksRate Collectors

LOCATION TAXATION

Taxation OfficerClerksCaretakers

HOUSING DEPARTMENT

Committee ClerkArchitectClerks of WorksRent CollectorsClerksClerk Typists

Catholicso000

Catholicso1o1

Catholicso00

Catholicso00000

Protestants1135

Protestants1

10

Protestants

:2

Protestants1124

25

LIBRARY

Catholics ProtestantsCounty LibrarianLibrary AssistantsMobile Library DriverCaretakers

o100

110

12

PLANNING AND TOURIST DEPARTMENT

Planning OfficerCommittee ClerkPlanning AssistantTourist AssistantClerk Typists

ARCHITECT ’S OFFICE

County ArchitectSenior Assistant ArchitectArchitectural AssistantMaintenance EngineerMaintenance Officers

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

(including Engineer’s Office)County EngineerDeputy County EngineerDivisional EngineerDistrict EngineerAssistant EngineersEngineering AssistantDivisional SurveyorAssistant SurveyorsSurvey AssistantsOverseersClerksClerk TypistsClerk of WorksWater SuperintendentsWater SupervisorWater InspectorWater CaretakersWater LinesmenSewage SuperintendentSewage CaretakersLaboratory AssistantsGardens SupervisorLavoratory Caretaker

26

11111

53

:110

EDUCATION OFFICE

Chief Education OfficerAssistant Education OfficerTransport OfficerExecutive OfficerPsychologistAccountantsSupplies OfficerAssistant Transport OfficerSchool Attendance OfficersSchool Meals OrganizersClerks & Other EmployeesSchool Bus Men

HEALTH & WELFARE DEPARTMENT

County Medical OfficerAsst. Co. Medical Officer

(full-time)Asst. Co. Medical Officers

(part-time)ChiropodistCounty Dental OfficerAsst. Dental OfficersDental AuxiliariesCounty Nursing OfficerAsst. Co Nursing OfficerDental AnesthetistSpeech TherapistsCounty Public Health Inspector 0Asst. Co. Public Health Inspector 0Public Health Inspectors oAccountant - 0Secretary to the Department 0Records Officer Health Visitors & NursesClerks

HEALTH & WELFARE DEPARTMENTCounty Welfare OfficerAsst. Co. Welfare OfficerWelfane OfficersStudent Welfare OfficersSocial Welfare Workers

o12

1

(Welfare)o0201

Matrons, Old People’s Homes 0Asst. Matrons, Old People’s Homes 0

27

Protestants1111

i113

3 :74

Protestants1

1

111111112117111

2413

1143222

HEALTH & WELFARE DEPARTMENT (Welfare) contd.Catholics Protestants

Porter, Old People’s Home 0 1ClerkTelephonist, Old Peoples’

Home 0 1County Children’s Officer 0 1Matron, Children’s Home 0 1Other Employees in Department 1 6

Summary of County Council Catholics ProtestantsEmployment

1.

2.3.4.5.6.7.8.

Co. Council Administrative& Financial :

(a) Secretariat 0(b) Finance 1(c) Local Taxation 0(d) Caretakers oHousing Department oCounty Library 1Planning & Tourist Department 0Architect’s Office 1Public Works Department 4Education Office 4Health & Welfare Department :

101742

1014

58

60120

(a) Health 17 63(b) Welfare 4 25

Totals 32 338

Chapter Seven

EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRY IN

FERMANAGH

“The Northern Government is a Protestant Government,put into power by Protestants and the welfare and safety of theProtestants should be its first consideration.”

Senator Porter-Porter, Lisnaskea, 12th July, 1931.

“I have not one (Catholic) about my place.”

Sir Basil Brooke, Newtownbutler, 12th July, 1933.

What those two gentlemen said over thirty years ago hasbeen, and still is, the attitude of the Unionist party in Ferman-agh. Mr. Ferguson’s liquidation campaign was merely an intensi-fication of a programme already under way. The previous chapter offers sufficient proofs of this so far as the County Council isconcerned; but it operates also in other bodies where Unionistscan control employment, as in the Erne Hospital, Enniskillen. Inthe figures which follow we have set apart those members of thehospital staff who are directly concerned with the care of thepatient’s health, since in those instances, nurses, for example,the hospital’s choice is often limited to the qualified people avail-able. It is in the peripheral occupations that Unionist discrimi-nation becomes obvious.

Protestant

29

Catholics ProtestantsTelephonists 0 4Clerical Staff 2 25Engineer o 1Joiner o 1Porters 4Stores Superintendent 1Electrician o 1Orderlies 13 15Domestics 45 19

The same bias is even more clear in the Enniskillen Tech-nical College, the only inter-denominational secondary school inthe County. The pupils, on a conservative estimate, are 65%Catholic. The total teaching staff, including part-time, is 66, ofwhom 20 are Catholics (June 1969). The distribution of positi-ons of authority within the College is as follows : —

Principal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ProtestantVice-Principal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ProtestantLecturers* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 ProtestantsHead of Day School . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ProtestantDeputy Head of Day School (Main Building) . . . ProtestantDeputy Head of Day School (Annexe) . . . . . .. . . . . . ProtestantHead, of Liberal Studies Department . . . . . . . . . . . . PqMestantHead of Mathematics Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ProtestantHead of Science Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ProtestantHead of Engineering Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . protestantHead of Carpentry and Building Department ProtestantHead of Commerce Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ProtestantAsst. Head of Commerce Department . . . . . . . . . . . ProtestantHead of Domestic Science Department . . . . . . . . . ProtestantAlso : —Office Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 ProtestantsLaboratory Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ProtestantCaretakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Protestants

*The Lecturers are also Heads of some of the Departmentslisted. The title is conferred by the College and carries extraremuneration.

The Fire service might also be added: —

S.L. ProtestantL.F.’s. 4 ProtestantsFiremen 11 Protestants

2 Catholics

30

And a similar pattern may be seen in the four creameries inFermanagh, the figures for which are summarised here: —

Lisnaskea Creamery - 40 Protestants 15 Catholics Derrygonnelly Creamery - 18 Protestants 4 CatholicsEnniskillen Creamery - 28 Protestants 7 CatholicsSpringfield Creamery - 17 Protestants 3 Catholics

That this discrimination can creep into government-subsidizedindustries where local Unionists gain control of managerialpositions may also be suspected. The gathering of facts on suchemployment is difficult, for obvious reasons, but we may cite thecase of the now defunct Taylor-Woods Nylon Factory (Ennis-killen). It was so generally recognized that discriminationagainst Catholics was being exercised in this factory that Nation-alist Senator P. J. O’Hare raised the matter in the StormontSenate in December 1955. He gave the following figures : —

Knitting Room 42Boiler Room oStores oClerical Staff oMaintenance Shop 4Dye House oDespatch 1Executive 1Canteen 1

These are Senator O’Hare’s

Catholics 210 ProtestantsCatholics 4 ProtestantsCatholics 7 ProtestantsCatholics All ProtestantsCatholics 20 ProtestantsCatholics 7 ProtestantsCatholic 6 ProtestantsCatholic Remainder ProtestantsCatholic Remainder Protestants

figures, and we have no way ofverifying their accuracy at this date. We cite them as evidenceof the suspicion among the Catholic population that whereUnionists have control of employment there is no point in ap- .plying for a job.

Catholic application for employment is further discouragedby the fact that jobs are sometimes not advertised at all. An ex-ample of this is the branch of Fermanagh County Library inIrvinestown, where the assistants were appointed without thepositions being advertised. Most Catholics in Fermanagh, and aconsiderable minority of Protestants, believe that the UnionistParty and the Orange Lodge control the allocation of much localemployment and that unless one — Protestant or Catholic — ispersona grata with these people, one’s chances of obtainingwork are neglible.

Economic warfare is waged not only against the individualbut against the locality. It would appear to be Unionist policy todo little to attract industry to Fermanagh, presumably on the

31

ground that Catholics would then be encouraged to remain in thecounty in the hope of employment. Neither Captain Brooke norMr. West seems unduly worried by the fact that, of 74 advancefactories in Northern Ireland, only one is coming to Fermanagh.

What industry does appear is guided to places which suitUnionist Planning. The following survey of industrial distribut-ion in Fermanagh cannot be mere coincidence : —

ENNISKILLEN CONSTITUENCY (Unionist)Kesh TapestryI r v i n e s t o w n - Ashton’s

A.C. Camp Ltd,Ulster Clay ProductsErnvale CreameriesDesmonds Ltd.Ballycassidy Sawmills

Enniskillen - Taylor Woods Ltd.Kent PlasticsStandard TelephonesSwift’s BaconSpringfield CreamerySlack & Parr

LISKNASKEA CONSTITUENCY (Unionist)Lisnaskea - E.S.C.

Watts & StoneLisnaskea Creamery

Lisbellaw - Ardria Sewing MillsTyres

SOUTH FERMANAGH CONSTITUENCY (Nationalist)Belleek Pottery (established over a century ago)

The deliberate withholding of employment from South Ferman-agh is plain. Protestants of the area must suffer willy-nilly wjththeir Catholic neighbors. The Unionist defence is that thepopulation does not justify the bringing of industry. Is this anyreason why creameries, or small firms employing a limited num-ber, should be kept out of the area?

It has been the tendency in Fermanagh, obviously encour-aged by the Unionist party, for the county to become a cattleranch for the large farmers and a playground for tourists. Thepeople of the county are the last consideration.

32

Chapter Eight

LOCAL GOVERNMENT HOUSING IN

FERMANAGH

“We are not going to build houses in the South Ward and cut arod to beat ourselves later on. We are going to see that the rightpeople are put into these houses, and we are not making anyapologies for it. ”

Mr. George Elliott, Unionist member of Enniskillen BoroughCouncil.

“I readily admit that there is a clear indication that segregationexists in Enniskillen . . . . the facts prove its presence.”

Mr. Harry West, Unionist M.P. for Enniskillen.

What Mr. Elliott and Mr. West were at no pains to conceal — thefact that religious discrimination is exercised in the allocationof council houses in Fermanagh — can be easily proved by thefigures we give in this chapter. Our allegation here is two-fold :first, that in the past the housing authorities discriminated byrefusing to house Catholics; second, that when the new CountyCouncil did decide to house Catholics, many of whom had livedin deplorable slum conditions for years. it did so by creatingreligious ghettos. A brief preliminary statement of the Unionisthousing record will indicate how the present situation in Fer-managh came about.

Before 1945 no houses at all were built by any of the threeRural District Councils.

In 1937 the Enniskillen Borough Council, after 26 years of in-activity, built 31 houses; but since 153 families at that time wereliving in one - or two-room flats, and since, as early as 1928,134 houses had been condemned by the M. O. H., this achievementcould be regarded as considerably less than adequate.

Since the end of the second world war there has been con-siderable activity, but the records show that discrimination forits own sake and for the sake of preserving population balancein the electoral areas has been consistently, relentlessly and, asMr. Elliott’s remark shows, arrogantly exercised.

Until the appearance of the new County Council in 1967 the

33

housing position was as follows : —

1. Irvinestown R.D.C.

124 Catholics 144 Protestants(Catholic population 52%)

2. Enniskillen R.D.C

16 Catholics 316 Protestants(Catholic population 49%)

3. Lisnaskea R.D.C.

52 Catholics 133 Protestants(Catholic population 59%)

4. Enniskillen B.IC.

East Ward 1 Catholic 106 ProtestantsNorth Ward (No houses built in Nationalist Ward)South Ward 2 Catholics 154 Protestants

(Catholic population 52%)

Between 1945 and 1967, then, 195 houses in Fermanaghwere allocated to Catholics, while 853 — over four times asmany — went to people of other denominations. Approximately54% of [the population, and that containing by far the greaternumber of those in need of houses, received only 18% of theCouncil houses.

The present situation in the county can be summarizedfrom a report prepared in November 1968 by the Public HealthInspector’s Department for the County Council :

“Between the period of 1st June, 1944 and 31st December,1967 a total of 3,139 dwelling houses were erected in CountyFermanagh and nine further buildings were adapted for livingaccommodation. Of this number 1,333 were erected by localAuthorities.

“The Local Authority and Northern Ireland Housing Trustpnogramme for 1968 shows that to date a further 142 houseshave been built by the County Council and a further 54 are in‘the final stages of completion, and should be ready for occupat-ion during December, 1968 and January, 1969.”

On the County Council’s own estimate, therefore, LocalAuthorities in the last 25 years have erected 1,529 houses. Thefollctwing, based on the Council’s own List of addresses, is a

34

breakdown of post-war council housing in Fermanagh:I Let to

T o t a l CatholicsCouncil HousesArneyBallinamallardBallycassidyBelcooBellanaleekBelleekBoa IslandBrookeboroughChurchillDerrygonnellyDerrylinEderneyFivemiletownFlorencecourtGarrisonIrvinestownKinawleyKilladeasKeshLisbellawLisnarickLisnaskeaMaguiresbridgeLetterbreenNewtownbutlerTroryTamlaghtTempoSpringfieldGarvary

Enniskillen:—DrumawillDrumgallonDerrychara EstateColeshill EstateKilmacormick No. 1 EstateKilmacormick No. 2 EstateAluminium BungalowsFactory RoadCastle ParkFairview Avenue (new)Fairview LaneIrvinestown RoadFermanagh Total

1010116

63225

2382

381544162923

1876

10503626

1085914262830111022

20128881

151122501214667

36162

19050

151532

01

23115

00816

2824

11100201

0001

14972

212

1141

—Let to

Protestants7

95150

3062

332

230

1216280

726

104235208035131528309

1021

20128880

25048

013

526

1,589 568 1,021

Our total includes houses built since January, 1969.35