Republican News · Thursday 31 January 2002

Historic day for Sinn Féin

BY JOANNE CORCORAN

Thursday 6 June was a momentous day in the history of Sinn Féin. It was the day when for the first time five party representatives entered Leinster House as TDs.

On the Thursday morning, despite ominous rain clouds, a large crowd of republican supporters gathered in front of the Mansion House on Dawson Street. The mood was jovial and tricolours were being waved by all and sundry. The first new TD greeting the crowd was Martin Ferris. He said that he was tired but looking forward to the day. "We've worked hard to be here and we will continue to work for the people who voted us in," he said.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh was next to arrive and only just made it after his flight home from his holidays was delayed. He declared it to be "a great day for the party all over the country" and said that it reaffirmed Sinn Féin as "the only all-Ireland party".

Sean Crowe said that now the government was going to have to face real opposition in the Dáil. Arthur Morgan was in great form and said that this was a day for the party and the constituents.

Gerry Adams' arrival was greeted with cheers and applause. He told the excited crowd that this was only the beginning for the party. He also mentioned that it was the constituents who were to be thanked, and their needs would not be forgotten.

"We're going to be making noise in there," he said, referring to the Dáil. "The other TDs are already backing down from their promises but we will be carrying through with ours."

After Caoimghín Ó Caoláin arrived, the crowd got ready to march around to the Dáil, led by Michael Foy on the bagpipes. Passing buses of tourists cheered at the crowd and an army tank kindly stopped and was photographed, much to the crowd's amusement. Foy began the march playing 'The dawning of the day', and across the road from Leinster House everyone joined in for a rousing chorus of 'A nation once again'.

Caoimghín, when asked outside Leinster House whether he was making any predictions for the next election, said the reporters there would need "two hands" next time around to take notes from all the Sinn Féin TDs.

Then the five TDs, escorted by Gerry Adams, were cheered by the crowd as they entered Leinster House. The older people in the crowd were perhaps most satisfied, seeing these historic steps after so many highs and lows over the decades, but young people such as teen Cathy Courtney were also thrilled.

The presence of such candidates as Larry O'Toole and Daithí Doolan reminded people that while they were not joining their colleagues this time, next time the party will have significantly more representation.