250th Anniversary of Patriots Day and Irish Independence Parallels

On the 250th anniversary of Patriots Day, Colonel Bill Rutledge and Ben Martin explored two revolutionary movements separated by an ocean but united by the quest for freedom. Irish Independence and Michael Collins Start listening at 2:42 – Hour 1 Colonel Bill Rutledge, 96 years young, opened with the fascinating parallels between America’s fight for independence and Ireland’s struggle against British rule. He traced the history from the English colonization of Ireland through Oliver Cromwell’s conquest in the 1650s to the Easter Uprising of 1916. Start listening at 9:43 – Hour 1 The discussion centered on Michael Collins, whom Rutledge compared to George Washington. Born in 1890 in County Cork, Collins became the underground leader of Ireland’s independence movement after surviving the Easter Uprising. Both men, Rutledge noted, were saved by what Washington called “divine providence” from capture that would have ended their nations’ hopes for freedom. “He realized they couldn’t do it militarily because they didn’t have the weapons, they didn’t have the training or the men to do it. So what he did was to develop really what we know as guerrilla warfare.” Colonel Bill Rutledge Start listening at 30:00 – Hour 1 Collins pioneered guerrilla warfare tactics, establishing spy networks throughout British organizations in Dublin. He signed the treaty establishing the Irish Free State in 1921, though he was tragically killed by a breakaway IRA sniper in August 1922, just 32 years old. The 250th Anniversary of Patriots Day Start listening at 60:20 – Hour 2 Patriotic historian Ben Martin marked the 250th anniversary of the battles that began the American Revolution on April 19, 1775. He walked through the events leading to that day, from the French and Indian War through the Intolerable Acts of 1774. Start listening at 66:00 – Hour 2 Martin addressed the historical inaccuracies in Longfellow’s famous poem about Paul Revere’s ride, noting that the poet deliberately created a stirring legend rather than strict history. In reality, three riders spread the alarm: Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Dr. Samuel Prescott, who was the only one to actually reach Concord. “Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.” Ben Martin Start listening at 91:00 – Hour 2 Captain Parker’s words to his 80 militiamen facing 400 British soldiers at Lexington Green marked the beginning of armed resistance. The shot heard round the world followed, leaving eight militiamen dead. By day’s end, 5,000 militia from 13 towns had assembled, harassing the British retreat and setting the stage for the siege of Boston. Start listening at 88:00 – Hour 2 Martin explained how the Battle of Bunker Hill two months later proved a Pyrrhic victory for the British, costing them over 40 percent of their engaged soldiers. The American forces only retreated when they ran out of ammunition, having already repelled two frontal assaults while loading their muskets with nails and anything metal they could find.