Republican News · Thursday 16 January 2002

Tirconaill Commemoration Committee

A Chairde,

The Annual General Meeting of the Tirconaill Commemoration Committee was held on Tuesday 7 January last at which the following individuals were elected: Chairperson, Veronica Molloy, Secretary, Liza Gallen, Finance, Hugh Blaney and John Kelly and PRO, Liam Ó Duibhir.

The Tirconaill Commemoration Committee have recently launched a calendar to commemorate the Drumboe Martyrs and this is available at Abhaile Aris, 65 Lower Main Street, Letterkenny.

The Committee will also be reissuing the Drumboe Martyrs book later this year and are asking anyone with archives or other information relating to the Drumboe Martyrs to contact Abhaile Arís in Letterkenny at (074) 28610, as this would be greatly appreciated in the collation of local history during the period of the Civil War.

There are other events planned throughout 2003 as part of the 80th anniversary of the Drumboe Martyrs.

Liam Ó Duibhir,
PRO,
Tirconaill Commemoration Committee

Seminar on Intra-nationalism

A Chairde,

This is to inform you that a seminar will be held on 23 January at 8pm in The Ripley Court Hotel, Talbot Street. Speakers will be representative of various political parties in Ireland including Sinn Féin, the SDLP, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

The theme of the debate will be Intra-Nationalism or the differences within various nationalist perspectives with respect to the vision of Ireland's future. The event is being organised by Coiste na nIarchimí, the Committee for Republican Ex-prisoners, as part of our Political Education Project.

The term 'Intra-nationalism' is one introduced through the Coiste's Processes of Nation Building Programme (PNB). Both the Political Education Project and the PNB projects speak to the requirement to enhance the growing culture of debate and discussion within republicanism and between republicans and society at large.

This seminar will be the third in a series which, to date, has revolved around the theme of 'Empire'. It is hoped that a conference will be held again on that theme in the coming months.

It is important to the development of the Coiste project that as many of our constituency of ex-prisoners and republicans overall, participate in these events. Another feature of the Processes of Nation Building (PNB) project relates to the Coiste challenge to engage with civic society at large and for this reason we hope also to have as many members of the public present as possible.

I look forward to seeing you all on 23 January.

Ella O'Dwyer
Coiste na nIarchimí,
Dominick Street,
Baile Átha Cliath

Farmers protest should inspire others

A Chairde,

Whether one agrees with them or not - and I think they have convinced many people of the justification of their cause - last week's IFA protest should serve as an inspiration and a wake up call to other sectors in society to get the finger out and organise to demand our just entitlements.

The tractorcade, as it has become known, was a true example of a united and passionate group who were fed up of talking and opted for action. No one knows yet what the results will be, but many non-farmer people salute the effort and lament the fact that they have not such leadership or bravery in their sectors.

What have the big trade union leaders done about the euro rip-off, the spiralling cost of living, and the continual trodding on the rights of many workers? What have they done to improve the plight of the thousands of workers in this state just about on the minimum wage, which is a disgraceful figure in itself?

With the exception of a small pressure group in Cork, is there anyone to challenge the great insurance rip-off?

Where is the leadership who will lead people onto the streets to demand a halt to the downgrading of hospitals, post offices and local authority services?

With the exception of those brave and principled people camping out at Shannon airport since 6 January, does anyone else give a damn about our neutrality?

Who will march against incinerators, the scandalous condition of many schools and the lack of affordable, good quality housing either to rent or buy?

As a people we have become too complacent. That is why governments feel confident enough to ride roughshod over the ordinary people from whom they squeeze taxes.

The farmers' protest should be a motivating factor for the rest of the population to tell the establishment - "You've fooled us long enough. We're not taking any more."

It's time that the Irish people reclaimed their dignity, by uniting together and forcing those that govern us to treat us with the respect to which we are entitled!

Cllr Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin,
Sinn Féin,
Cloich na Coillte