Page 10 of Celtic Dragon
“No, Ice, it didn’t. They’re radicals. They want their country back, all of it. It will never stop until England releases its hold on the north.”
“We’ll be careful,” I say, shrugging off his concerns. Frankly, I’m finding it hard to believe that this is all still an issue. He doesn’t press the subject any more, so I continue to the business at hand. “I want you to get things moving with the Satans. I don’t want things to stop just because I’m leaving the country for a few days,” I say.
“Got it,” he says shortly. I can tell he is frustrated with me. But he knows how to pick and choose his battles with me and he knows he will not win this one.
“Also, you know what needs to be done with the renovations to the warehouse for the new clubhouse. You were the lead on that from the beginning so I’ll just leave it in your capable hands.”
“Yeah, that’s coming along too. You should come out and see it before you leave. I think you’ll like it.”
“I wish I had time,” I say. “But you know how it goes, there’s always something brewing.” I pause briefly and look over at my VP and best friend. “Will we ever just be able to be motorcycle enthusiasts again?”
“I don’t know, man. Probably not. We’re bikers, Ice. We’re always going to be involved in some kind of shit.”
“I know. I guess having Emma back and pregnant has caused me to look at things a little differently.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean.”
“Oh, one more thing,” I say. “I need to you to keep tabs on Brianne’s recovery. I told Emma that once she gets through detox, she could go visit her. I’d expect you or one of the boys to go with her.”
“Got it.” Noticing my tension, he says, “Hey, relax, bro. I’ve got this. The club, your girl, all of it. You know I’ve always got your back.”
“I know. I just hate leaving right now.”
“Everything will be fine,” he says reassuringly. I know he’s right, but after my conversation with Emma last night it seems now that I’m the one that can’t shake an uneasy feeling. I’m sure it’s nothing, but it doesn’t make it go away.
We’re just finishing up on our conversation when we hear a knock at the door. “Come in,” I say.
Rebel walks in. “Hey guys.” He looks at me and says, “I assume you have filled Hawk in on everything?”
“I have. Just finishing up.” He nods and then I add, “You holding up ok?”
“Yeah man, just anxious. I’ll feel a lot better once we get there.”
“Reb, why don’t you fill Ice in on what he should expect?” Hawk asks. Rebel looks over to Hawk with a confused look on his face. I can’t tell if he is unsure of what Hawk wants him to say, or if he knows exactly what Hawk wants him to say but doesn’t want me to know.
Before Rebel says anything, I chime in. “You know, I’m not familiar with the IRA and what it’s trying to achieve. I have no idea how my aunt and uncle are involved and I think, before we go over there, we should have a better understanding of what to expect. So Rebel, why don’t you take a seat and fill me in on this before church this morning.”
Rebel looks a bit worried as he takes a chair at the table. “Where do I start?” he asks.
“How about the beginning? That seems to work for most people,” I reply smartly.
He takes a deep breath and then proceeds to tell his story.
“The Irish Republican Army, better known as the IRA, has been involved with just about every radical movement in Ireland in the past two centuries involving the cause. In the early years, they may have been known under different names, like Fenians, but they’ve always fought for the same thing—Ireland’s freedom from Britain. They believe that violence is necessary to achieve their independence. This war has been raging on for centuries, dating back to as early as the 1700s. England has always had a claim to Ireland and Ireland has always wanted to be its own state. It’s as simple as that.”
“But isn’t Ireland free now?” I ask.
“Most of it. But a portion of the country, Northern Ireland—which includes Belfast—is still owned and governed by Britain.”
“And how has our family gotten involved in all of this?” I ask.
“Well, like I said, this war has been raging on for centuries. But I guess it really started to affect our family in 1916, with the Easter Rising.”
“Easter rising?” I ask.
“Yeah, the Easter Rising. Some refer to it as the Easter Rebellion. It was another attempt by the Irish republicans to gain Ireland’s freedom. With England so heavily involved in World War I at the time, the rebels believed the timing couldn’t have been better. They were wrong.
“The Easter Rising began on a Monday and lasted for six days. Key locations in Dublin were seized and proclaimed territory of the Irish Republic—for a while, it appeared that the republicans were winning. However, England may be small, but she is also mighty. The British Army fought back with thousands of reinforcements and artillery. There was fighting on the streets, sniper attacks, and blood. The British Army eventually suppressed the Rising, taking over 3500 prisoners; our great-great-grandparents were among them.”
