Is de bhunadh Éireannach é Kevin McNamara, agus rugadh agus tógadh i Learpholl é. Bhí sé ina fheisire Parlaiminte i Hull, Yorkshire, ar feadh 40 bliana (1966-2005). Bhí sé seal ina Aire Stáit agus ina urlabhraí ar Thuaisceart Éireann 1987-1994, nuair ba chorrach an saol in Éirinn. Rinne sé dochtúireacht i Roinn Léann na hÉireann in Ollscoil Learphoill nuair a d’éirigh sé as Parlaimint agus fuair sé cuireadh chun an chéad ‘Léacht John Kennedy’ a thabhairt ansin. Fear gnó as Contae Mhaigh Eo é, John Kennedy, a rinne na milliúin i Sasana sular éirigh sé as. Is daonchara idirnáisiúnta é anois agus tugann sé tacaíocht do Institiúid Léann na hÉireann.

Tá Kevin McNamara ar Choiste Comórtha an Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, a bunaíodh 2 Feabhra 1967 agus ba é téama na léachta ná ‘Cén fáth a raibh freagra Rialtas Wilson ar an fheachtas ar son Cearta Síbhialta chomh dona agus a bhí?’

Bhí an Coiste Gnóthaí (NEC) agus Grúpa Parlaiminte Pháirtí an Lucht Oibre (PLP) eolach, de réir McNamara, ar fhadhbanna cosúil le hidirdhealú agus le claonroinnt ar thoghlaigh, ach ní raibh siad sásta rud ar bith a dhéanamh fúthu de dheasca an ceangal láidir a bhí acu le Páirtí Lucht Oibre Thuaisceart Éireann (NILP). Chomh maith le sin, bhí claonadh i Peter Shore MP (1924-2001) leis na hAontachtuithe. Bhí seisean i gceannas ar an chomhoibriú leis an NILP. Ba as Learpholl dó fosta, ach ba de bhunadh Sasanach/Protastúnach é. Scriobh Tony Benn MP ina dhialann 13/4/1967 : "Peter is very pro-Protestant. He is a Liverpool lad and I think that deep down inside him is hostility toward Liverpool Catholics, which must in part explain his attitude," a mhinigh McNamara dúinn.

Bhunaigh Dr Con agus Patricia McCluskey The Campaign for Social Justice i nDún Geanainn, Co. Thír Eoghain i Mí Eanair 1964 "to collect data on all injustices done against all creeds and political opinions." Chuir siad ráiteas chuig gach iarrthóir de chuid Pháirtí an Lucht Oibre sa Bhreatain roimh an olltoghchán i nDeireadh Fómhair 1964. "They wanted to arouse international interest in the situation in Northern Ireland, especially in the USA and the Council of Europe," a dúirt McNamara.

Ach bhí bac mór ar aon dul chun chinn sa Tuaisceart - An Coinbhinsiún. Ba é an tuairim a bhí ag Rialtas Westminster ná nach raibh cead acu cúrsaí inmheánacha an Tuaiscirt a phlé, de réir an Government of Ireland Act 1920. Má chuir feisire ceist faoi na Sé Contae, ní bhfuair sé/sí freagra agus sheoltaí é chuig Stormont. "It’s like washing your feet with your socks on," a dúirt Michael Maguire MP faoi.

Bhí feachtas ag an Connolly Association i Sasana (www.irishdemocrat.co.uk) in aghaidh an Coinbhinsiúin agus nuair a d’amharc Desmond Greaves, rúnaí na heagraíochta ar na focail san Acht, thug sé faoi deara nach raibh aon chosc ann. Ach ba chuma leis an Rialtas faoin mhéid sin. "The Connolly Association had a campaign with aims similar to the CSJ and Fenner Brockway MP managed to get them affiliated to the Movement for Colonial Freedom," a dúirt McNamara.

Mar gheall ar an bhrú seo, bhí díospóireacht i Wesminster faoin idirdhealú sna Sé Chontae agus shíl The Connolly Association go raibh gealltanas tugtha ag an PLP leo maidir leis an fhadhb seo. Bhí siad ag súil le gníomh polaitíochta tar éis an olltogcháin i 1964.

"The Labour majority was only five, soon reduced to three. Northern Ireland was number 13 in the pecking order on the agenda. Things like the Pound Sterling, Vietnam and UDI in Rhodesia were all seen as far more pressing issues. As well as this, the votes of the 12 UUP MPs continually threatened Labour’s majority. However, early action by the Labour Government could have limited or prevented the Troubles," he said.

Ar dtús, bhí Rialtas Wilson cairdiúil le hÉirinn: "They returned to Dublin the flag which had flown over the GPO in 1916, repatriated the remains of Roger Casement and passed a free trade treaty which put an end to the economic war," arsa McNamara. Chláraigh sé ina bhall den Campaign for Democracy in Ulster, a bhí seolta ag Paddy Byrne i Wesminster, Samhain 1965, ach ní raibh siad ábalta aon dul chun chinn a dhéanamh sa Rialtas.

Rinne Harold Wilson trí earráid mhór, dar le McNamara: "He met with Terence O Neil on May 9 1965 and failed to tie him down to a timetable of reform. Wilson gambled on O Neil and lost. He then failed to take action such as control over security following the Burntollet Bridge ambush in January 1969 and he failed to ban the Apprentice Boys march in Derry on August 12 1969, even though he said he opposed it taking place,"

Thosaigh an pharáid seo Cath Thaobh an Bhogaigh agus bhí McNamara i nDoire ó 11 Lúnasa. Sheas sé sa Rossville Flats le Bernadette Devlin MP ag amharc síos ar an chlampar.

"I rang Home Secretary Jim Callaghan at the behest of the Bogsiders, but he held off doing anything at first. I had to return home, but Stan Thorne MP arrived and negotiated the conditions for the entry of British Troops into the Bogside. Gerry Fitt MP phoned me at my mother’s house in Formby (Merseyside) requesting troops be sent into Belfast," he said.

D’inis sé dúinn go mbíodh sé i bhfolach i dteach a mháthair mar gheall ar bhagairtí leanúnach a fuair sé ag an am.

"Northern Ireland was sliding into an undeclared civil war. It need never have happened. The British Government ended up negotiating with the men of violence rather than with those who just wanted reform," he said.

Chuaigh rudaí in olcas tar éis toghadh Rialtas Coimeádach faoi Edward Heath i Meitheamh 1970, dúirt sé.

Sa díospóireacht tar éis na léachta, dúirt fear amháin go raibh caint McNamara lochtach mar nár thug sé aird ar ról an stáit sna Trioblóidí, mar shampla M15 ag spreagadh na ndílseoirí agus grúpaí mar an UVF .

"The extemists did not need any encouragment from M15... I am no great supporter of the security services. Gusty Spence told me he set up the UVF," arsa McNamara.

Ach níor mhínigh sé dúinn cén fáth nach raibh na Seirbhísí Slándála á chosaint féin nuair a bhí sé ag fáil bagairtí, agus ar ndóigh bhí Harold Wilson féin cinnte go raibh M15 in aghaidh a rialtais. Agus deir Peter Taylor ina leabhar ‘Loyalists’: "(Gusty) Spence told me he was approached by two unionist politicians, whom he refused to name, who invited him to join the UVF."

Sa deireadh, mhothaigh mé féin go raibh léacht McNamara suimiúil, ach níor chuala muid ach cuid den scéal.