Sir, – May I reply to the letter of Felix Larkin (September 30th) concerning an earlier letter of my own in regard to the "just rebellion theory" and the 1916 Rising? I agree with Felix Larkin that Prof FX Martin was a "distinguished historian" and I also agree that Prof Martin accurately summarised the principles of the "just rebellion theory". However, he has failed to address the main point of my argument: namely, that the first principle of the theory – "the government must be a tyranny, that is without a legitimate title to rule the country" – applies to the civil order inside a sovereign state and not to a sovereign state which is ruled by another country. Ireland's situation came into this latter category – in scholastic terminology it was ruled by "an alien usurper" – and other principles and conditions were applicable in that case. Summarising the scholastic views on "an alien usurper", Alfred O'Rahilly wrote, in October 1920, that "the subsequent relationship of usurper and nation is essentially a state of war . . . and in these circumstances each individual is free to commit acts of war on the unjust invader of his country". He also maintained, in September 1916, that it was justifiable to take such actions against an alien usurper, even if there was no reasonable hope of success.
He based his argument on the example of the martyrs of the early church stating that “to condemn an uprising merely on the grounds of consequent loss of life and property, would betray a singular blindness to the spiritual realities of life”. O’Rahilly remarked that “if a conflict is otherwise justified, it does not become morally wrong simply because it is likely to end in a technical defeat” and he quoted the poet Milton: ‘The greatest gift the hero leaves his race Is to have been a hero. Say we fail! We feed the high tradition of the world, And leave our spirits in our children’s breasts.”
Clearly there will be no unanimity on the “just rebellion theory” but it may be possible to agree that the examples of Redmond and Pearse, in their diverse ways, helped to reveal the true character of British rule in Ireland. – Yours, etc,
Dr BRIAN P MURPHY, OSB
Glenstal Abbey,
Murroe, Co Limerick.