Papers by Edward J Bourke
Blanchardstown Historical society Journal - Tales from the Scaldwood , 2024
Original documents have come to light covering aspects of the War of Independence in the south c... more Original documents have come to light covering aspects of the War of Independence in the south central portion of Dublin City. This was the area of the 4th battalion of the Dublin Brigade IRA. It was amongst the most active areas in the whole country. The one mile stretch of road between Rathmines and the city Centre was known to British soldiers as the Dardanelles because of the intensity of attacks.
Blanchardstown Historical society tales from the Scaldwood , 2024
The decade of centenaries defines the civil war as from the shelling of the four courts to the du... more The decade of centenaries defines the civil war as from the shelling of the four courts to the dump arms order. This omits the period of six months from January (the Treaty) to June 1922 and explains the differing totals for fatal casualties of the Civil war. In another paper I have commenced documentation of the period just before and after the Civil war illustrating the way the Civil war simmered to a boil and fizzled out slowly putting the Civil war into context. The deaths in Northern Ireland were a particular problem for the Free state government.
Journal of the Federation of Local History Societies , 2024
After ten years study during the Irish decade of centenaries there remain many unsolved mysteries... more After ten years study during the Irish decade of centenaries there remain many unsolved mysteries about the War of independence period. There remain rumours of bodies buried secretly in fields, spies revealed in recent years and especially disappearances of IRA men or supporters who may have betrayed the freedom fighters. In all of this there are parallels with the Northern Troubles of the 1970s
Federation of local History societies Journal , 2023
Who wanted Michael Collins Dead - the republican IRB, the British, the Free State government, the... more Who wanted Michael Collins Dead - the republican IRB, the British, the Free State government, the IRA Irregulars, the British Secret Service. His death was not the simple accidental ambush at Beal na mBlath and stray or lucky shot because there had been multiple attempts to kill him.
Tales from the scaldwood Blanchardstown Historical society , 2024
The UCC civil war deaths register lists the people who died as a result of the Irish civil War 19... more The UCC civil war deaths register lists the people who died as a result of the Irish civil War 1922-23. This review looks at that work
Rush and Loughshinny Historical Society, 2016
The Easter Rising of 1916 was suppressed by British forces rushed from England within a few days.... more The Easter Rising of 1916 was suppressed by British forces rushed from England within a few days. Maritime power made this possible. The British had ample warning of the imminent Rising but did not pre position troops to prevent the action. While a seminal event in Ireland it must be seen as a sideshow of the Great War. Possibly the British wanted it to happen both to remove the threat of insurrection and draw out the German Fleet
Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 1983
A strain of Bacillus subtilis (IMD 198) isolated from peat degraded starch to maltose with little... more A strain of Bacillus subtilis (IMD 198) isolated from peat degraded starch to maltose with little production of glucose and other products. Highest levels of enzyme were achieved in a salts solution containing soya bean meal and starch. The enzyme was purified by precipitation with isopropanol, adsorption on calcium phosphate gel and fractionation on DEAE-and CM-cellulose ion exchange resins. The latter chromatographic procedure removed a contaminating activity that produced dextrins as end products from starch or amylose. The action pattern of the purified major enzyme activity indicates that it may be a β-amylase.
Shipwrecks of the Irish coast 1976j
The sinking of the Lusitania of the Cork Coast of Ireland was the subject of intense propaganda b... more The sinking of the Lusitania of the Cork Coast of Ireland was the subject of intense propaganda by the British because of the loss of 1200 lives. Some 50 books have been written reiterating the main story but several mysteries remain. Some of these are addressed in this article
Murder by the Throat
The events of Bloody Sunday 1920 a hundred years ago this year are variously understood and half ... more The events of Bloody Sunday 1920 a hundred years ago this year are variously understood and half remembered as a series of atrocities, clever victories and brutal reprisals. The dark November Sunday left forty two people dead in the worst day of the War of Independence in a month that saw nearly 100 deaths. With the passage of time it is possible to interpret the events through statements given to the Bureau of Military history as well as British accounts which shed new light on the events. As with all aspects of the War of Independence 1920-21 there are legends, yarns and misunderstandings that are only clarified with the passage of time. Revisionists are keen to indicate the innocence of victims but both sides knew the people they sought in a covert war of intelligence and counter intelligence with spies embedded in both sides. It is always wrong to apply modern judgement to historic events which took place in the heat of battle. The day commenced with the arrest of Conor Clune, a Clare gaelgoir, in a late night raid at Vaughan's hotel. He had come from Clare with account books of Raheen Coop for audit and to converse with other language enthusiasts. There is no evidence that he was involved in IRA. A guest "Edwards" made a call before leaving in a hurry and the porter Christy Hart warned IRA leaders that a raid was likely and they left. Clune, unaware of these events and not registered at the hotel was arrested. Peadar Clancy and Dick McKee along with four others were lifted in early morning raids by Auxiliaries who took them to Dublin Castle guardroom for interrogation. Four were released but Dick McKee was a 1916 veteran and Brigadier of the Dublin Brigade. He was at the centre of planning for the subsequent execution of the British agents. Peadar Clancy was second in charge of the Dublin Brigade and also a 1916 veteran. At nine a.m. fourteen British agents consisting of army officers, their landlord and court martial officers were shot dead in various lodging houses in south Dublin. At least ten more were sought but were not at home. Cathal Brugha had forbidden shooting 15 of the 35 targeted-he was ignorant of the source and quality of the information. The IRA of he 4 th Battalion Dublin Brigade refused to participate in their area of the North Circular Road due to aversion to executing people in cold blood and the proximity of the military complex of the Royal barracks, RIC depot, Military headquarters, Marlborough barracks and The King George Hospital, all of which were heavily garrisoned and defended. The proximity of Beggars Bush barracks compromised the operation in Lower Mount Street leading to the arrest of Patrick Moran. Two Auxiliaries from Beggars Bush stumbled on the operation and were killed. In the afternoon British forces surrounded Croke Park to search the crowd and RIC from the Depot headquarters fired into the crowd killing one player Sean Hogan (after whom the Hogan Stand is named) and thirteen spectators including three boys. It is likely that this operation was pre-planned as a round up before the executions of the morning as key RIC men were already in the Phoenix Park depot. No Cairo Gang, no wipeout Though widely used nowadays the source of the name Cairo Gang is very unclear 1. An electronic search of the BMH witness statements shows that none of the statements made in the early 1950s mentions the Cairo Gang by that name. An internet check shows no mention earlier than Rex Taylor's Michael Collins in 1958. This contrasts with multiple mentions of the Igoe Gang. Books from the 1930s talk of secret service, 'murder gang' and 'particular ones'. Richard Bennett 2 in 1959 talks of
Recent opening of the Central Bank archive in Dublin highlighted three surviving import and expor... more Recent opening of the Central Bank archive in Dublin highlighted three surviving import and export books 1 for 1786, 1793 and 1795. While the initial find was exciting, collaboration with Charlie Roche a distilling historian, revealed that books in the same series resided at UK National Archives Kew covering 1764-1780 2,3 and the 1764 book 4 was available on line. Thus this is a snapshot drawing attention to the wealth of detail that might be in a more comprehensive study of the books from 1700 to 1830. The format changes slightly in later volumes as the data is not analysed by port. At first trade statistics seem a boring and fruitless area for brewing history but examination of import of beer, ale, hops and even bottles sheds light on the brewing industry and alcohol consumption in Ireland. The data is by seaport which for Ireland covers the principal towns with notable exceptions such as the inland towns of Kilkenny and Clonmel. The period is significant in that it covers the 1787 changes in the disparity in duties payable on beer imported to Ireland before the dissolution if the Irish Parliament by the (Irish) Act of Union of 1800.
Irish Lifesaving accidents and incidents Dr Edward J Bourke Rescue Modern rescue services based o... more Irish Lifesaving accidents and incidents Dr Edward J Bourke Rescue Modern rescue services based on helicopters and lifeboats are a far cry from the situation in former times. An insight is in the Board of Trade return for 1913-1914. It records that in UK shipwrecks that year 115 were rescued by rocket apparatus, 135 by lifeboats, 81 by coastguard boats, 682 by passing vessels and 762 by their own ships' lifeboats. The role of passing vessels in noteworthy as marine traffic was dense at that time in contrast to today. The rocket rescues were important because adverse winds drove many sailing vessels ashore. Their tall masts and yards facilitated entangling rocket lines to haul the crew ashore on a breeches buoy. Saving life at sea was not organised in any serious way until the 1700s. About that time as commerce expanded rapidly shipping losses horrified residents in dangerous areas. As a result Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland operated a lifeboat and lifesaving service from the 1740 established by Lord Crewe's charity and administered by Dr John Scott. They were adjacent to the highly dangerous Farne Islands where there were many shipwrecks each year.
During the work of lifesaving there were several fatal accidents mainly due to the hazardous nature of the work j
Brewing & Distilling International Feb 2023, 2023
Brewing problems Even today brewing has its issues from poor yield through slow fermentations and... more Brewing problems Even today brewing has its issues from poor yield through slow fermentations and diacetyl reduction to bottle washing and can filling. Each issue costs time and money and threatens thin margins. The Brewing industry has solved challenges from arsenic in invert sugar in 1900, cobalt in head retention factor in 1950s, benzene in carbon dioxide and glycol leaks. Frequent staff turnover, short term contracts and narrow spectrum training all conspire to reduce experience. Lean technical functions and contracted out services ensure limited internal expertise. Some development and innovation services fail to recognise limitations imposed by the simple laws of physics such is their creative "can do" ethos. The variety of challenges require a systematic, scientific approach.
Biochemical society transactions 13, 2, April 1985, 611th meeting Galway, 1985
Polysaccharide debranching enzymes are classified on the basis of their substrate specificities a... more Polysaccharide debranching enzymes are classified on the basis of their substrate specificities as either pullulanases or isoamylases (Lee & Whelan 1971) Thus pullulanase is most active against pullulan but cannot hydrolyse glycogen whereas an isoamylase does not hydrolyse pullulan. In this context we compared some properties of the pullulananse K. aerogenes with those of a purified preparation of debranching enzyme from culture filtrates of B. polymyxa. The enzyme activity in culture filtrates of B. polymyxa ascribed by French (1960) to an α-amylase was subsequently demonstrated by Griffin & Fogarty (1973 a,b,c) to be due to a β-amylase and a separate debranching enzyme. This study compares and contrasts some properties of the purified debranching enzyme of B. Polymyxa and the pullulananse of K. Aerogenes both of which hydrolyse α1-6 glucosidic linkages. The B. polymyxa enzyme was purified from culture filtrates as described by Griffin & Fogarty (1973 a,b,c) K. Aerogenes pullulananse was purchased from Sigma Chemical Company. A number of substrates, differing in type and extent of branching, were prepared by dissolving amylose, amylopectin, α-limit dextrin, isomaltose, panose, β-limit dextrin and gentiobiose in 0.05 m phosphate buffer, pH 5.6. Hydrolysis of each substrate (2mg/ml) was determined by measuring the production of reducing sugars (Bernfield 1955) after incubation 30 0 C for 4h with 0.2 ml of enzyme solution. The B. Polymyxa debranching enzyme hydrolysed each of the substrates tested except amylose and gentiobiose but was most active against oyster glycogen. The products of the enzyme action were examined qualitatively by thin layer chromatography (Hansen 1975) Glucose was produced from from isomaltose, panose, oyster glycogen, rabbit liver glycogen and amylopectin. Pullulan and β-limit dextrin yielded isomaltose, while α-limit dextrin yielded glucose as well as isomaltose. When the pullulanase of K aerogenes was examined in the same way on the same range of substrates no hydrolysis of isomaltose, panose, gentiobiose, glycogen or amylose was observed. Activity was highest on pullulan (Table 1) Thin layer chromatography revealed production of isomaltose from pullulan, α limit dextrin and amylopectin. Maltose as well as isomaltose was produced from the β limit dextrin. The M 1 of the debranching enzyme of B polymyxa was estimated by gel filtration of Biogel P 60 to be 48,000. Inhibition of enzyme activity was studied by preincubating inhibitor at 20-2 M with the enzyme in 0.05M phosphate buffer, pH 5.6 at 30 0 C for 15 min. The enzyme solution was then assayed for activity on pullulan as described before. Sulphydryl reagents inhibited the debranching enzyme of B. polymyxa. P-mercuribenzoate, iodoacetic acid, iodoacetamide and N-ethyl malemide destroyed 43% of the enzyme activity. Phenylmercuriacetate was slightly more effective in that it destroyed 58% of the activity. Sodium oxalate and sodium azide did not cause inhibition while potassium ferricyanide caused 10% inhibition. Metal chelators inhibited the enzyme action; EDTA removed 54% of the activity while α-α-dipyridyl and 1,10-phenanthroline each caused 29% inhibition. Neocuproine did not inhibit the enzyme while the detergent lauryl sulphate caused complete inhibition. Neither the Schardinger dextrins cylohexa-amylose or cyclohepta-amylose, inhibited the enzyme. However gentiobiose was a competitive inhibitor of the system. When examined by the method of Dixon (1953) the K i was 1.4x10-3 M. The effect of the sulphydryl inhibitors indicated the necessity of intact sulphydryl groups for optimum activity. Stabilization of these groups was examined by addition of enzyme stabilizers at 10-2 M concentration to the debranching enzyme in phosphate buffer (0.01M, pH 5.6). After 15 min incubation at 30 0 C a sample (0.1 ml) was assayed for activity as described before. The most
Paper read at the 86 th ordinary Meeting of the Society of General Microbiology at Dublin on 20/9/1979
Kuhn in 1924 classified the saccharogenic amylase of malt as β-amylase and this enzyme was subseq... more Kuhn in 1924 classified the saccharogenic amylase of malt as β-amylase and this enzyme was subsequently found in a number of higher plants including sweet potato, barley, soya bean and napier grass. The amylase of B. polymyxa was originally reported by Robyt and French in 1964 as an α and β mixed action amylase having action attributable to both. Amylopectin was reported hydrolyses quantitatively to β-maltose with rapid reduction in viscosity leaving no limit dextrin. Recently work by Fogarty and Griffin in our department resolved this action into two components by chromatography on DEAE cellulose. They found that the system was composed of a true β-amylase and a debranching enzyme. Subsequent work showed that the β-amylase of B. polymyxa was a true β-amylase and presence of this enzyme in a bacterial system was thus established. More recently β-amylase was reported in Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus cereus by Japanese workers while Kundu and Das reported the production of a β-amylase with an α-amylase in Aspergillus oryzae. This paper deals with the properties of a β-amylase from another microbial source-a strain of B. subtilis IMD 198 which we isolated from soil. The production of the β-amylase was optimal in a medium containing starch and soya bean meal and this was described in a previous communication. Purification was achieved using isopropanol and chromatography on CM-cellulose. The latter step removed the glucose moiety leaving a βamylase which produced maltose alone. The pH optimum for activity for the β-amylase of B. subtilis IMD 198 was 6.8 in phosphate buffer 0.05 M while the optimum temperature for activity was 55 0 C. The Arrhenius plot of activation energy showed that the β-amylase of B. subtilis IMD 198 had two activation energies, these were calculated as 95,000 Joules/M in the range 25-54 0 C and 33,000 Joules/M in the range 0-25 0 C. This pattern was similar to that of the β-amylase of B. polymyxa and some other amylases. The molecular weight was determined by fractionation on Sephadex G-100 in phosphate buffer at pH 6.8. This was found to be 50,000 this figure is close to the result for the β-amylase of B. polymyxa which was 59,000. The corresponding figures for the sweet potato β-amylase were 152.000 and 50.000 probably reflecting the presence of a polymer. The molecular weight of βamylase of B. Megaterium has been reported as 32,000 or 35,000 depending on strain. The nature of substrate attack is of fundamental importance in the classification of an amylase as α or β type. The relationship between viscosity reduction and the percentage cleavage of bonds was investigated. This indicates whether an enzyme is degrading a substrate in a random endo or stepwise exo fashion. When a large reduction in viscosity (50%) occurs with only a small percentage of bond cleavage (less than 2%) the enzyme is classified as being endo type. When a small reduction in viscosity occurs with a large percentage bond cleavage the enzyme is classified as exo type. The β-amylase of B. subtilis IMD 198 caused a 50% reduction in relative viscosity when 12% of the bonds were cleaved while acting at 30 0 C on amylose. This data compared with that obtained using typical β-type amylases under identical conditions. Sweet potato β-amylase cleaved 20% of the bonds of amylose for 50% reduction in viscosity. This comparative work indicated that the mechanism was like β-amylase. Similarly the reduction of iodine colour related to bond cleavage indicated β-type action. The βamylase of sweet potato gave 25% bond hydrolysis for 50% reduction in iodine colour. The αamylase of B. subtilis gave 2% bond hydrolysis for 50% reduction in iodine colour. The β-amylase of B. Subtilis IMD 198 gave 40% bond hydrolysis for 50% reduction in iodine colour.
Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast vol 2 , 1997
Wrecking salvage and pillage have been part of coastal folklore over the years. The paper describ... more Wrecking salvage and pillage have been part of coastal folklore over the years. The paper describes the evolution of the law of salvage over the years. Ill treatment of survivors is explained by the rule that once there were survivors the shipowners retained possession of the wreck. This extended to survival of an animal clarifying the frequent reports that a cat alone survived. Modern laws include the claimed jurisdiction of American courts and rejection of the UN convention.
Bound for Australia , 2004
The Tayleur was shipwrecked on Lambay near Dublin Ireland in 1854. A fund was established to assi... more The Tayleur was shipwrecked on Lambay near Dublin Ireland in 1854. A fund was established to assist the survivors. The residue of the fund was used to reward people involved in rescues in the Irish Sea. The paper documents the awardees of medals and monetary awards and lists the medals.
Dublin Historical Record , 2008
The troopships Prince of Wales and Rochdale were wrecked in Dublin bay. They carried reinforcemen... more The troopships Prince of Wales and Rochdale were wrecked in Dublin bay. They carried reinforcements for the British army fighting the Napoleonic wars. As a result of the losses the harbour of Kingstown ( Dun Laoghaire ) was built.
Tracton History, 2007
Minane bridge at the entrance to Cork Harbour was on a busy shipping route and many shipwrecks oc... more Minane bridge at the entrance to Cork Harbour was on a busy shipping route and many shipwrecks occurred in this small area. The paper shows the impact of shipping on a small coastal community.
Subsea, 2009
Analytically speaking there is a ton of gold in every cubic mile of seawater. The Germans investi... more Analytically speaking there is a ton of gold in every cubic mile of seawater. The Germans investigated the possibility of extracting this treasure at one time during the war. It is not until you calculate the mass of a cubic mile of seawater that you realise that a needle in a haystack is quite findable by comparison. Treasure comes in many forms, archaeological material can be a treasure. Every Captain had a bag of sovereigns for his trading and food. Ships which were supposed to have had treasure aboard or vessels from which material was recovered are gathered here with accounts of the efforts at salvage. It is significant that no matter how early, wrecks with clearly identified treasure were salvaged soon after their loss. The most famous divers of the period all seem to have worked in Ireland on such wrecks. The supposed treasures aboard the Lusitania are discussed in the section on the Legends of the Lusitania. There is also some overlap with the troopships because it seems that each regimental staff travelled with an army paychest and the silver plate from the officer's mess. Irlam On 10-5-1812 the Irlam struck Tuskar Rock and an account of the fate of the troops is given above. Among the goods lost was a quantity of silver plate worth £300 and a chest containing 200 gold guineas. Enterprise The Enterprise of Lynn was lost between Glenarm and Cushendun. The cargo was supposed to have included silver dollars. Salvors were guided to the location by the bowsprit found but someone cut it off the wreck making the remains of the ship hard to find. There was no account of the silver dollars being salvaged. Enterprise The Enterprise sank after striking rocks within sight of Mew Island in the Copelands off Donaghadee on 25-1-1803. The ship was engaged in the notorious "Triangular " trade out of Liverpool. This meant that she would carry trade goods to Africa, collect slaves and proceed to the Caribbean in this case Cuba. There rum and sugar would be loaded in place of the slaves and carried back to Britain. Thus it was that the Enterprise carried barrels of dollars on her deck after a successful voyage. They were carried in full view to dissuade theft. A contemporary letter to the Belfast Newsletter described the crew filling their pockets from the barrels as the ship sank. Eleven of the crew perished drawn down by the weight of the money as they swam ashore. Nine survived but a Negro and a boy died of exposure. The fishermen of Donaghadee could only look out at the wreck site in frustration and imagine the rich hoard 30 feet below the waves. Then on 28-8-1829 a letter to the Newsletter reported the presence of a Holyhead vessel, the Clown sited above the wreck. It was revealed that the captain of the Dasher owned by the Donaghadee to Portpatrick Steam Packet company had a chance conversation about the Enterprise while the Dasher was being overhauled at Holyhead. The captain of the Clown possessed a diving bell and lost no time. He commenced diving operations and within a month he had raised some £50,000 in dollars. The locals were jealous and persuaded him to leave the area. A wooden diving bell was constructed locally and weighted with iron plates. On a trial in the Harbour a James Balie was drowned when the bell collapsed. However it was repaired and, manned by a John Cornell it was operated with some success. The story is told that he recovered some 180 dollars from a rock cavity guarded by a trunk fish which he killed. By the next year there were four vessels working on the wreck. In 1834 the Glasgow Herald reported that Deane's apparatus was being used on the Enterprise. This was a rudimentary helmet diving suit instead of a bell. It allowed much greater freedom to move about and was by all accounts a more successful venture. It is reckoned that £24,000 worth of coins were recovered. The row of houses at Whitstable named Dollar Row was built as an investment with the proceeds by the Gann brothers. This refutes the story told by Masters (17) which places the find leading to the construction of Dollar Row on an Armada vessel in Galway Bay. Data in the Limerick City Museum indicates that in June 1836 Mr Deane and Mr Fell worked on the Intrinsic at Kilkee. Iron was recovered using Mr Deane's newly invented diving helmet. Armada wreck The story of the salvage of an Armada wreck cited by David Masters in Wonders of Salvage and mentioned in Volume Two has been traced back to H Siebe (15) He tells the story in his 1873 book, that a West Coast fisherman indicated the position of an Armada wreck in Galway or on the West Coast to a diver working in the area. The diver was one of the Gann brothers and the story goes on to relate that dollars were recovered which went to build Dollar Row at Whitstable. Since the central house of Dollar Row is Copeland House it would appear much more likely that the wreck in question was the Enterprise lost on the Copeland Islands near Belfast. There is a possibility that when the Ganns worked on the Intrinsic in 1836 they may have discovered an Armada wreck on the Clare coast. During the work on the Intrinsic they encountered Thomas Steele the Clare landlord and associate of Daniel O'Connell, who went on to invent several items of diving apparatus.
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Papers by Edward J Bourke
During the work of lifesaving there were several fatal accidents mainly due to the hazardous nature of the work j
During the work of lifesaving there were several fatal accidents mainly due to the hazardous nature of the work j