Republican News · Thursday 30 November 2001

Kilmichael commemoration

"Nationalist/republican consensus still needed" - Ó Caoláin

For me as an elected representative of Counties Cavan and Monaghan, the British Army is as unwelcome in my neighbouring Ulster counties as they were in County Cork in 1920

On another day of unseasonally fine and bright weather, hundreds of people gathered last Sunday at the site of the 1920 Kilmichael ambush, where Tom Barry led the West Cork IRA Flying Column to defeat the Black and Tans.

People of all ages joined the parade to the monument for the ceremony organised by the Kilmichael/Crossbarry Commemoration Committee. The main speaker was Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, who said that in 1920 "the bravery and ingenuity of the IRA inspired the Irish people. And the Irish people in turn inspired freedom-loving people throughout the world who were struggling to break the chains which bound them to the British Empire."

Turning to the current peace process the Sinn Féin TD said:

"There is still a need for nationalists and republicans to move forward on the basis of a broad consensus. Those of us who share the aim of a united Ireland should as far as possible seek areas of agreement on how we can achieve that aim. The first essential is the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. I would urge a much more vigorous approach on the part of the Irish government in demanding the complete demilitarisation of the Six Counties by the British government. For me as an elected representative of Counties Cavan and Monaghan the British Army is as unwelcome in my neighbouring Ulster counties as they were in County Cork in 1920.

"It was regrettable that both the Irish government and the SDLP moved to endorse the current policing arrangements in the Six Counties. Sinn Féin believes that a new police service is not in place and that it would not be right for young nationalists and republicans to join the present force. By endorsing a force that does not meet the requirements of the Patten report, which was itself a compromise, the Irish government and the SDLP eased the pressure on the British government to bring about the real and fundamental change which is needed. We in Sinn Féin will continue to campaign for that change. We are working to achieve a policing service that can have the allegiance of all, in the context of a legal system that respects human rights and where repressive legislation is set aside and plastic bullets are banned."

Ó Caoláin said that Tom Barry did not fight for a partitioned Ireland or for an Ireland rife with inequalities. Citing the example of Tony O'Reilly, the Sinn Féin TD said:

"They certainly did not fight for an Ireland where the great and the good pay homage to a man knighted by the English Queen, a man who has a near monopoly on the media in this country. It is long past time that the position of the Mogul of Independent Newspapers, Anthony O'Reilly, was challenged. For too long his newspapers have been pouring forth their anti-nationalist and anti-republican bile with no pretence of objectivity or balance. For too long he has been allowed a stranglehold on freedom of expression and media diversity in this country.

"Today this magnate acts as a front for a consortium which is about to reap a profit from one of the greatest swindles ever perpetrated in this country. And it was all perfectly legal. I refer to the Eircom privatisation and the cajoling of tens of thousands of people to participate in a flotation which failed spectacularly and which has now resulted in the forced sale of those shares. What a humiliating end for a company which was once in public ownership. A similar fate is being prepared for Aer Lingus.

"We are witnessing at present the shameful spectacle of the elected government of this State going cap in hand to an unelected EU Commission in Brussels to request that we be allowed to give aid to our National Airline, Aer Lingus, in the teeth of the greatest crisis in aviation history. This is a disgrace."

Concluding, the Cavan/Monaghan TD said:

"Having defeated censorship and helped to change the political landscape through the peace process, republicanism has never been stronger in this State. Throughout the 32 Counties there is a growing determination to achieve real political change. Our challenges today are very different to those of 1920 but the goal is the same. It is to fully achieve, in the words of the Proclamation of Easter Week 'the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland'."