‘in danger’

The first couple of days at the Imperial Hotel turned out to be the most tranquil and happy days that Maggie and Sean had experienced in their short lives. They had strolled round the town looking at the shops and in the evening visiting the local pub where the music was said to be great. When they asked for singers from the floor Sean had stepped up and enthralled them with his rendition of Boolavogue. Everyone wanted to get away from the troubles and it may have been a false hope but the atmosphere was very light and after Sean’s singing the locals didn’t mind that he didn’t take a drink. Maggie and Sean were beginning to feel that life in Dundalk could be very different. A jaunting car ride to Blackrock village on the coast and a walk in their bare feet on the sand holding hands made the two of them feel that if only they could shut the world out they would love to remain like this. The coldness of the Irish Sea washing over their ankles reminded them though that life was not to be that idyllic.
It was the third day, after breakfast, when they were walking down the steps of the hotel. A man stepped forward and asked for a light. As Sean lit his cigarette the man said in a low voice,
‘Rattigans’ Pub, one o’ clock sharp, second booth on the left as you come through the front door.’
He then left them standing there with a cheery, ‘Thank you’.
Sean and Maggie looked at one another both realising that the honeymoon was really over. Now the serious business of doing their bit for their country was about to begin.
Two men were seated in the booth when they arrived. They introduced themselves as Peter and Dermot. They apologised for not giving their surnames but as they explained it was harder for the RIC and the Tans to track down a Christian name so it added a little more security to their position.
‘Not that we don’t trust you mind.’
They had all laughed.
‘Seriously though,’ the one called Dermot explained ‘we are your only contacts. No-one else should be in touch with you and if anything ever happens to us and someone else comes to give you instructions you’ll know the game is up and it’s time for you to get out. Understood?’
They both nodded.
‘Now, let’s get you a drink and we’ll go over what happens next.’
After the meeting Sean and Maggie waited for a decent interval and sat sipping their lemonade. They strolled back to their hotel walking arm in arm and not saying very much at all. They had lunch and afterwards decided to go up to their room. Rather shyly Sean hung the ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door.
They had eventually fallen asleep and wakened about six-thirty. They got dressed quickly and practically sprinted down to the restaurant for high tea. They had arrived with about ten minutes to spare before the kitchen was closed for the night. Matt the older waiter who had been serving them arrived over with a knowing look in his eye.
‘Well now timing is everything. What can I get you? I believe the gammon is very good tonight. Good for keeping one’s energy levels up.’
He gave both a big smile.
Maggie just laughed as Sean managed to stammer out.
‘Aye that’ll be grand, two gammon steaks and if there’s a fried egg going as well that would be great too and everything with it. Is that all right with you Maggie?’
‘Sounds good to me,’ she looked up and gave Matt one of her warmest smiles. Matt smiled broadly, clearly bowled over by the red haired beauty from Belfast.
When they had finished their meal they strolled to reception to tell them that they had to leave in the morning, cutting short their honeymoon. They explained that they had been having a great time but something had happened at home. The receptionist was sorry they had to leave so soon but agreed that the bill would be waiting for them in the morning. They returned to their room and discussed the earlier meeting with Peter and Dermot. They had completed the first task set for them.
The following morning as they were leaving the hotel Peter and Dermot and a horse and trap were waiting for them and after a very brief greeting they were driven to an abandoned cottage in Proleek in the Ravensdale Valley, a couple of miles from Dundalk. It was well hidden from the main road. The only approach was on foot or with a horse and cart, as the track to the cottage was so narrow. The cottage was rough looking on the outside, clearly in need of repair, but inside it was comfortable and money had been spent recently on refurbishing it. In keeping with the rundown exterior of the building, fresh water had to be drawn from a well and the outside toilet as Maggie said in her best Scottish accent was ‘ nathing short of a midden‘.
Peter and Dermot had apologised for the abrupt ending of their honeymoon. Round the back of the cottage they showed them two sturdy black Raleigh bicycles.
‘For getting around. They’ve been well used so they shouldn’t draw too much attention. Now come and see this.’
In the one bedroom of the cottage Peter was now standing in front of the wardrobe.
‘For your clothes,’ Peter said.
‘Eh, I think we know what a wardrobe’s for Peter.’
‘So you didn’t notice anything? Good. Let me open the doors. Notice anything else?’
Maggie looked at two metal T-shaped implements sitting on the floor of the wardrobe.
‘Well apart from someone leaving their corkscrews behind there is nothing to see. It’s just a wardrobe.’
Peter lifted the two corkscrews and inserted them in to two holes about half way up the back of the wardrobe. With a slight lift to angle the back of the wardrobe downwards to clear the pole at the top he lifted it clear.
‘Well, what do you think of that?’
Behind the false back Maggie and Sean’s weapons were stacked and hanging on a peg was Maggie’s Bandoleer.
‘We had them smuggled down from Belfast. It was assumed you both would be happier with your own weapons, and anyway down here weapons are at a premium.’
Sean whistled.
‘It would take a good eye to spot the false back. It certainly fooled us. I can see it’s well made. Very clever boys whoever did this work.’
‘The trick is, leave the handles in the living area and if any stranger did pick them up they should think they are for opening bottles of stout, which they can do of course. We know you don’t indulge in the black stuff but we put a few bottles in the cupboard just in case. Anyway, you shouldn’t get any visitors apart from us.’
Sean lifted the two handles.
‘Let me put it back.’
Effortlessly he put the back into the wardrobe and then lifted it out again.
‘No problem, thanks guys. We don’t have to worry about storage of our weapons now. It was one of our concerns.’
‘You’re welcome. Now we need to go. Apart from the stout, we’ve left you some supplies of food to get you started. We’ll be back in two days with someone else who needs to meet you. You’ll know it’s us because I’ll whistle the first few bars of ‘Dannyboy’.’
Dermot gave a short rendition.
‘If anyone else approaches and you don’t get the whistle you’ll know it’s not us, so be on your guard. In the meantime enjoy the peace and quiet for a couple of days cause God knows what’s going to happen after that.’
Peter and Dermot left them standing at the front door. While Sean stood looking after them, Maggie turned saying, ‘Time for food.’
Maggie went in to root around in the cupboards to see what she might cook for both of them. Sean started singing ‘There was an old woman from Wexford……’

During the next couple of days, Sean and Maggie took the time to explore the local countryside on their bikes. On the second day they dumped their bikes at the edge of Ravensdale Forest and walked over to the Mass Rock below Carlingford Mountain. They each said a silent prayer that God would keep the other safe from harm. They had taken their boots off and dangled their feet in the freezing waters of the waterfall below the White Bog and then hiked to the top of the mountain. There they sat looking across Carlingford Lough to County Down and the views of the Mourne Mountains. Cold tea out of stout bottles and bread and cheese made a very unexciting picnic, but with the view in front of them it tasted like the food of the gods. They took the lower route back to pick up their bikes and on the way to the cottage stopped to talk to a couple of the locals who were standing chatting at the Jenkinstown Crossroads.
After supper they had gone to bed and lay quietly in each other’s arms for what seemed an age. As Maggie was about to drift off to sleep she whispered softly to Sean.
‘I’m worried about what we might be asked to do. This man who’s coming tomorrow, what tasks do you think he will ask us to perform? I don’t want our time together to end and I’m not sure I want to put either of us in danger.’
Sean hugged her closer.
‘Don’t worry. Whatever it is we are asked to do I’m telling you now I will not let anyone put us in a position where both our lives will be in danger. The guys who give the orders never fully think through the risks to the volunteer. At the end of the day to them we are expendable. Keep in mind though why we’re here. There’s a bigger prize at the end of it, if we win. English rule in Ireland has to come to an end sometime. Our Republican ideals of equality and justice for all citizens are worth making sacrifices for and if the truth be told I don’t want to die either. You’re more precious to me than all the freedoms that have to be fought for and no politician or command structure of any army is going to change that. Now we should get some sleep. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.’
Maggie kissed him and turned over and was asleep in no time.
Sean however was now wide awake and before sleep took him he had tossed many things around in his head. By the time he was drifting off to sleep he had resolved that no matter what was asked of them he would never knowingly put Maggie at risk for anyone or any cause. But he knew in his heart, he was prepared to sacrifice himself.