Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling, who wrote ‘Jungle Book,’ also penned the poem “The Covenant”. In it he urged the loyal people of Northern Ireland to fight for their cause against the IRA. He donated £30,000 to the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force), a paramilitary group which did not want to see Irish Independence. Backing the militants instead of the actual legitimate party brought guns into Irish politics, which ended the constitutional parties, leaving the future of Ireland to radicals. He was also sympathetic to General Reginald Dyer who was responsible for the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in Amritsar. When Dyer was relieved of his command, Rudyard helped raise over 26,000 pounds for his homecoming prize.