Frank Keane Defence Fund poster from 1970 March 2, 2019
Posted by irishelectionliterature in Uncategorized.trackback
via The Irish Republican Marxist History Project
Frank Keane the National Organiser of Saor Éire spent a year in Brixton jail awaiting extradition proceedings to Ireland, for his alleged involvement in the killing of a policeman. He would eventually stand trial in Dublin and be acquitted. To publicise the case and gather finance the Frank Keane Defence Fund was stet up in Dublin by people like Maìrin Keegan and Rayner Lysaght.
The Cedar Lounge Revolution 
There were two Frank Keane defence committees. mercifully not by different, rival groups but one in London and one in Dublin. The first one was the London one, initiated by Liam Daltun (his most constructive contribution to the ongoing struggle) with the aid of the IMG, but bringing in other leftists of all and no organisational affiliations. This was to oppose Frank’s extradition. We set up the Dublin Committee on the same basis for frank’s trial here, and continued the struggle for Sean Morrissey and Joe Dillon. We were successful and our success set a precedent for the Murray campaign later. All these contributed to what we must hope is the final ending of capital punishment in Ireland.
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Thanks for the clarification and good to know these things are not forgotten.
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The Frank Keane Defence Committee was set up in London by Sean Matgamna and Liam Daltun, with help from Sean Morrissey who was hiding out in London at that time.
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I was not sure about Matgamna’s role in founding the London Committee. He was not active in it when I was there (roughly July-September 1970). Members included at that time Daltun, Pat Donovan, Joe Quinn, Gery Lawless, Peter Graham, Peter Keating, and Noel Jenkinson (who would die in prison some years later after being convicted for IRA activities.).
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The Frank Keane Defence Committee was set up in London by Liam Daltun with a bit of help from me. Sean Matgamna 27 June, 2014 Workers Liberty.
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At that stage Matgamna was probably still a supporter of Irish national unity and independence. He probably supported the Palestinians. He was as well very much part of that milieu. I think his group had formal relations with Paddy Healy’s League for a Workers Republic.
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