Republican News · Thursday 17 October 2002

Great response in Galway

Gerry Adams was in Galway City on Friday last to campaign for a No vote in the referendum. It was six years since the party leader was last in the city.

The growth of the party since then has been unprecedented, with huge increases in the republican vote and level of activism. The dynamic Sinn Féin cumann in NUI, Galway played host to the largest gathering of students ever held in the university, when Adams addressed a packed hall in the Students Centre in the afternoon.

The Sinn Féin president urged students to reject the culture of Irish politics, which always settles for the "least-worst option". He described the government's attitude to the Nice Treaty as one that accepts without question the "least-worst option" dictated by the powerful EU states, without looking for equality between the states.

On the peace process, he told students that "the game is up for unionism, but it is not over" and he urged his audience to contribute to a New Ireland by working to end partition.

Adams then took time out to meet old republicans from across County Galway, and he also gave party activists a briefing on the current state of the peace process.

A huge crowd also gathered in Salthill later in the evening to hear him again outline the party's objections to the Nice Treaty. Cathoirleach of Galway Chomhairle Ceantair, Vince Forde, said that the huge turnout for the day's events shows the potential for further growth of the party in the city and county. "I believe that the success of Friday's visit shows how Sinn Féin will be the third largest party in the West in the not too distant future," he said. "There is a huge resurgence of interest in republicanism here, in particular among young people. That bodes well for the future success of the party here."