Pádraic Fiacc

The first book I wrote was Falls Memories.  Brandon Books led by the late Steve Mac Donagh was my publisher. I asked Steve if we could  include drawings by Michael McKernon. I didn’t know Michael but I was familiar with his fine line drawings.  Steve indulged me, Michael obliged and Falls Memories was produced, enhanced by his artistry. That was decades ago. In 1990.

Can We Afford A United Ireland?

I have written before about the work of Sinn Féins  Commission on the Future of Ireland and how it is giving voice to citizens' views on our future and in particular on the potential for constitutional change. I have attended most of the Commission's events. They are all about citizens having their say and usually consist of an independent panel of speakers engaging with an audience. They are also moderated by an independent chairperson. So while Sinn Féin organises these initiatives once the opening formalities are over the party takes a back seat. We are there to listen. 

Gaels Against Genocide in Gaza.

Saturday was a busy day. Tons of Gaelic games on the go. Fitting it all in is a problem. But Gaels Against Genocide in Gaza certainly rose to the challenge. Their demonstration from Belfast's Writers Square to the City Hall was mighty. Great speakers, including Antrim hurling star Neil McManus and a massive crowd from all over the island. In county and club colours. Children  and older Gaels.  Young mothers with their babies. Family groups. Clubs from everywhere. Glen Philips was an excellent Fear an Tí.

If the people of the 

A Great Showcase for Unity

The SSE Arena in Belfast was buzzing with positivity last Saturday as several thousand people participated in one of the largest public discussions held recently on constitutional change and the potential for Irish Unity. Over ten thousand more joined online. The organisers did a remarkable job in bringing together a first class panel of academics, political leaders, artists, economists, protestant voices, comedians, trade unionists and Gaels. Their success can be measured in part by the fact that the audience remained interested and engaged for over four hours.I was delighted to be there.

 Malachy McCourt – a Great Irishman

Last week a packed gathering of friends and family met in New York to say goodbye to Malachy McCourt.  Malachy died in March aged 91. Malachy was a brother of Frank McCourt, author of Angela’s Ashes. Malachy himself was an accomplished writer. 

This Too Will Pass

All of this is grist to the mill of our opponents. But we do not begrudge them that. One of our political achievements is to expose the sameness of these parties interests and policies. We now have to create an alternative. So we have to play our own game regardless of what the naysayers claim. Unlike the southern parties Sinn Féin is currently fighting the British general election in the North. So we have to bend our will to that before gathering ourselves for what comes after. One thing is for certain we have plenty of work to do in a changing and volatile political climate with significant electoral challenges.

Sanctions Now

On 12 June, Israel’s genocidal war on the Palestinian people of the Gaza Strip and the west Bank will have lasted for 250 days.

In that time over 36,000 Palestinian children, women and men have been killed and many tens of thousands wounded, some crippled for life with lost limbs and a psychological trauma that will never go away.

Ella O’Dwyer

It was with great sadness that I heard last week of the death of Ella O’Dwyer. Ella was one of a brave band of IRA Volunteers who travelled to Britain in the 1980s. She and Martina Anderson were arrested in Glasgow in 1985. Ella was 26 years old and Martina Anderson was 23. In June 1986 the two along with three male comrades - Gerry ‘Blute’ McDonnell, Peter Sherry and Pat Magee – were given life sentences at the Old Bailey in London for planning IRA attacks.

IRELAND'S Future has an event in the SSE Arena in Belfast on Saturday, June 15. Entitled Pathway to Change, it has all the makings of a seminal moment in our discussions about the future. It will be the largest gathering by Ireland’s Future since its enormously successful, ground-breaking meeting in the 3 Arena in Dublin in October 2022.

Irish Unity makes economic sense

Last month a report by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) caught the headlines with the claim that Irish Unity could cost the South up to €20 billion annually. The analysis was quickly challenged by other economists and last week those with different opinions had their opportunity to address the Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

We are running out of words to describe what is happening in Gaza.” United Nations

Tuesday was a special day. For the first time the Palestinian flag flew over Leinster House in Dublin following the announcement by the government to formally recognise the State of Palestine. Tuesday’s move was the next step in a process that will see the Palestinian Mission in Dublin upgraded to an Embassy. The representative office of the Irish government in Ramallah will be re-designated as an Embassy and its representative there will become an Ambassador.

A Better World Is Needed.

 

For decades now I have argued that the big central international struggle of our time is for people to have democratic control over the decisions which affect their lives. The absence of this basic right underpins conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine and other parts of the world.  It poisons relations between Ireland and Britain and within Ireland although thankfully we have a process for dealing with that. Painfully slow though it is, it is better than war. And such an approach is clearly required in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine.  That is what the United Nations should be advocating. 

Dublin Needs To Say No To London.

Last week Mr Justice Humphreys, sitting in the High Court in Belfast, in his summary of judgement ordered the “disapplication of provisions of the Illegal Migration Act 2023 in Northern Ireland and declared others to be incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.”

Tips For Aging.

I intend to include occasional Tips For The Aging in this column. If I can remember to do so.  This one comes from Doctor Tom. If you get a mobile phone hang on to your land line. It will be very useful helping you to find where you left your mobile one.

The second Nakba

Two small olive trees were planted in the grounds of the Rodaí McCorlaí Club in west Belfast last Saturday evening. One was in remembrance of the more than 15,000 children killed so far by Israel in its genocidal war against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the occupied west Bank. The second was to mark the Nakba – The Catastrophe – which saw the forcible expulsion of three quarters of a million Palestinians from their homes by Israeli forces in 1948. Fifteen thousand Palestinians were killed on that occasion and over 500 villages were ethnically cleansed.

Immigrants are not the enemy. 

Divide and conquer is an age old tactic. It is often utilised by conservative elements to advance their regressive agendas. This is true of the Irish as it is of any other nation. In fact historically some Irish people have acted against the interests of Ireland and supported imperialistic and other colonial or domestic adventurers.  Nonetheless the vast majority of Irish people are fair minded, decent and progressive.

Recognise the State of Palestine

Sinn Féin’s National Party Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA was in South Africa at the weekend where he spoke at the ‘Global Anti-Apartheid Conference on Palestine.’  The conference was attended by Palestinian groups. While there Declan met with South Africa’s foreign minister and ANC MP Naledi Pandor who has led the international condemnation of the Israeli state’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people. Declan also told Minister Pandor that Sinn Féin fully supports South Africa’s courageous case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

Solidarity to Student Protesters

In the late 1960s the major national and international issues of the day that helped shape my politics were the anti-Vietnam War movement, the anti-apartheid struggle against the racist South African government and the civil rights movement in the North.  In all three the activism of students was central to raising public awareness and opposition to injustice.

Today students are again at the heart of an ant-war movement. In the USA students at over 100 university campuses have taken a stand against the genocidal war of the Israeli government against the Palestinian people.

Captive Columns – an untold account of prison life

Cumann na Meirleach Poblachtach Éireannach/ The Irish Republican Felons Association celebrated its 60th birthday last weekend.

The first part of last Friday evening’s celebrations was given over to Danny Morrison who hosted two conversations. The first was with Síle Darragh and Mary Doyle and focussed on their experience in Armagh Women’s Prison. The second was with Colm Scullion, Jackie McMullan, and Jazz McCann. This centred on Bobby Sands, Joe McDonnell and Kieran Doherty who they knew well in the H-Blocks. The discussions were insightful, informative and inspiring.

Rights in a New Ireland

Last week the British government’s Legacy Act took effect and a group of international human rights experts published a major report accusing the British state of operating a “systematic” practice of impunity to protect state forces. In the same week people interested in human rights packed into St Comgall’s – Ionad Eileen Howell. The Conference was organised by Sinn Féin’s Commission on the Future of Ireland.

A successful conference in support of Moore St.

Last week The Moore Street Preservation Trust and Uachtarán Shinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald organised a conference to support the development of a Historical 1916 Cultural Quarter in Dublin City centre with Moore Street at its heart.

Mass graves an act of barbarism

At the weekend Leas Uachtarán Michelle O’Neill was in London to address a massive pro-Palestinian march. She described what is happening in Gaza as the “gravest human rights violation of our time.” Michelle called for "an immediate, unconditional and complete ceasefire. We need to see an end to genocide, ethnic cleansing, and collective punishment. All hostages should be released immediately and all aid for Gaza must be delivered immediately, and Israeli forces must withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank.”

The Falls

I love photographs. Especially old photos.  Particularly black and white ones. Bill Kirk  is a veteran photographer. The Falls is his  most recent collection, some twenty years after Images of Belfast. It captures a time and a neighbourhood which has gone.  As Robin Livingstone in the Foreword says, ‘It is a vital and compelling historical archive, describing in rich detail the people and places where the latest conflict in the shared and troubled history of Ireland and Britain took place.’

It time to recognise the State of Palestine

In 2014 Sinn Féin brought forward a Dáil motion calling on the government to “officially recognise the State of Palestine, on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital …”

I was part of this initiative. It got support from other TDs from other parties and none. It was not opposed by the Government at that time. Following a two day debate the motion was passed. This meant that ten years ago both Houses of the Oireachtas supported the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination - to a Palestinian state. This was a positive development. The Government should have acted on this imperative. It refused to do so. I raised this refusal regularly with successive Taoisigh. 

Every Taoiseach since then refused to deliver on the will and direction of  the Oireachtas. They would not  act on this imperative. Instead they argued that recognition  of a Palestinian state remained contingent on a deal with Israel to a two state solution. In reality Enda Kenny, Micheál Martin, Leo Varadkar gave the state of Israel a veto over the right of the Palestinian people to a Palestinian state.

Seán Mackel and the County Antrim Memorial. 

Following my tribute last week to Seán Mackel Dr Tom Hartley has written to me about Seán’s role in designing the County Antrim Memorial in Milltown Cemetery. This memorial  is under the care of the National Graves Association, Belfast. There are thirty four IRA Volunteers buried in this plot. It was originally called the Tom Williams plot, because money raised by the Tom Williams Gaelic Athletic and Camogie club bought the plot. The club was founded by republican prisoners in A Wing, Crumlin Road Jail who wanted to reserve a grave in this plot for the remains of Tom Williams, a young republican hanged in Crumlin Road Jail in 1942.

 Rights in a New Ireland

The issue of rights is at the heart of the conversation on a new Ireland. Sinn Féin’s Commission on the Future of Ireland which has been holding successful Peoples Assemblies across the island over the last 18 months, will host ‘Rights in a New Ireland’ on Friday 3rdMay, in St Comgall’s – Ionad Eileen Howell, Divis Street, between 11.00am – 1.00pm