HEALY

Editor JAMES O'FEE writes -

EDNA HEALY’s memoirs continue to be read on Radio 4’s BOOK OF THE WEEK. Edna relates how Denis returned from serving in the War and contested a Yorkshire seat for Labour in 1945. At an election meeting he was asked a question by a member of the audience (his father!!) on what he thought of the Irish problem?

Denis replied that he didn’t know that there was an Irish problem. Edna says that this gap in his knowledge didn’t seem to lose Denis any votes.

Immediately before this, JONATHAN FREEDLAND took ‘THE LONG VIEW’ on ‘BRITISHNESS’. There was talk of John Bull and Marlborough’s victory at Blenheim over the French, but no analysis of what is the core of the question, in my opinion. On the other hand, lines were quoted from Defoe’s TRUE-BORN ENGLISHMAN, but not the key ones where Defoe states that the English have always been ‘a bastard race’ and ‘the sinks of all the nations’. Defoe’s dates are (1661?-1731).

With Freedland were TIM HEALY and ANDREW ROSINDELL MP.

With that name, Tim Healy must be descended from the great Irish Nationalist MP TIM HEALY [Timothy Michael Healy, KC (17 May 1855 – 26 March 1931)] – see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Michael_Healy

A cousin of mine studied Medicine at Bart’s in London. Through him I met a very pretty and clever girl, also studying medicine at Bart’s. She was the niece of SERGEANT SULLIVAN, who defended SIR ROGER CASEMENT on the charge of treason in one of the English Bar’s most famous (or notorious trials). Of Sullivan –

‘No English silk could be found to act for Casement. The brief was offered to, but refused by, Sir John Simon KC and Gordon Hewart KC (later LCJ). Casement was represented by Sergeant A.M. Sullivan. Sullivan was silk in Ireland and was the last of the Irish sergeants. F.E. Smith tried to arrange for Sullivan to be given silk in England on the grounds that “the disparity in attack and defence was too marked for a State trial”. Lord Findlay LC refused. ‘

Andrew Rosindell is the Conservative MP for Romford holding sound views. Once I met Andrew, then Chairman of the Young Conservatives, at the Scottish Tory Conference in Edinburgh. Andrew was careful to bring Northern Ireland into the discussion this morning, saying how important it was that devolved government should be restored to Northern Ireland, as in Scotland and Wales. Not necessarily a view that I share, but it was good not to be ignored.