The Heirs of Owain Glyndwr by Peter Murphy Page A

build?’
    â€˜I wasn’t thinking about them,’ Caradog replied.
    â€˜Well, who, then?’
    Caradog fingered the alarm clock gently.
    â€˜You remember some time ago, a few Irish lads came over and threw green paint all over the statue of the Blessed David Lloyd George?’
    Trevor laughed. ‘I remember. It didn’t strike me as the most intelligent protest in the world, I must say. I assumed it was the result of a few too many pints on the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead.’
    â€˜It was a bit more than that,’ Caradog said. ‘I was watching in the Maes at the time. They struck me as serious people. Just out of interest, I kept an eye on them and tracked a couple of them down later in the night, and we had a couple of glasses. One of them, name of Seán, told me he was with the IRA, which we are hearing so much about now. He called himself a unit commander, or something of the kind.’
    â€˜And you don’t think that was the Guinness talking?’
    â€˜It would have been the Bushmills talking if it had been anything, and no, I don’t think it was that. This wasn’t his first visit to Wales, Trevor. He knew his way around, and he knew some people. He had met with some of the boys from the FWA. He had much the same opinion of them as we do. Amateurs, he called them. He said he wouldn’t trust them far enough to work with them.’
    â€˜Well, at least we can agree on that.’
    â€˜Yes, but he said he was open to meeting some more serious people in Wales, if there were any. He gave me a phone number. I still have it.’
    There was a long silence.
    â€˜You don’t know who you are dealing with,’ Trevor said. ‘He could be Garda, Special Branch, Army even. If he is IRA, why should he want to get involved with us? If we contact him to say we can’t work out how to make an efficient timing device, and can he please help us, he’s going to lump us in with the FWA. It will just reinforce his view that everyone in Wales is useless.’
    â€˜I don’t think so,’ Caradog replied. ‘His problem with the FWA is the same one we have – it’s their lack of discretion. It’s security he is concerned about. I think we could convince him that we are serious about security.’
    â€˜How would you propose to do that?’
    â€˜By going to see him, not asking him to come over here, and doing it very quietly.’
    â€˜Where did he claim to be based?’
    â€˜Belfast.’
    â€˜Where, particularly?’
    â€˜West Belfast, the Falls Road.’
    Trevor considered for some time.
    â€˜That’s a high-profile place at the moment.’
    â€˜It would be more high-profile for us if he came over here.’
    Trevor nodded.
    â€˜You’re really sure you need help, Dai?’
    â€˜Aye. I’m out of my depth, man. You were right, see. I am just a chemist.’
    â€˜All right, Caradog. Call Seán,’ Trevor said. ‘See if the number is real. But don’t tell him what we want over the phone…’
    â€˜Of course not…’
    â€˜And listen very carefully to what he has to say. We don’t move unless we are sure we are not walking into a trap.’
    She asked him later that night. She was already in bed by the time he got home.
    â€˜You’ve been spending a lot of time with Caradog and Dai Bach lately. You’ve had quite a few late nights. What on earth do you get up to, the three of you?’
    â€˜We have a few drinks,’ he replied, ‘and put the world to rights.’
    She made a face at him.
    â€˜Actually, we are talking about the demonstrations to come before the Investiture. I’m trying to make sure they don’t get out of hand. You know what Dai Bach is like after three or four pints.’
    She scoffed.
    â€˜We have all been on demonstrations before, Trevor.’
    â€˜Yes, but these will be bigger.’
    â€˜We will see about