Analysis: ‘Our objective is the peaceful unity of the Irish people’

Posted by Jim on February 2, 2019

The new all-Ireland political party being led by Peadar Tóibín this week
revealed its new name as Aontú, the Irish for unity or consent. In this
statement written for the centenary of the First Dáil in 1919, Mr Tóibín
set out his republican vision for the party.


On 21st January 1919, the elected representatives of the Irish people
met to enact the democratic will of the Irish people. This simple act of
democracy was the culmination of centuries of struggle and sacrifice. In
every generation for hundreds of years democracy was prevented by the
British state by violence or the threat of violence. Indeed the new All
Ireland democratic assembly would soon become outlawed and suppressed by
the most powerful empire ever known.

The purpose of the first Dáil was to bring to fruition the legacy of the
1916 Rising, the United Irishmen and the Young Irelanders, and make a
reality of the Irish people’s inalienable right to national freedom. The
first Dáil was secured by a colossal victory in the 1918 General
Election. 73 out of 105 seats were won by Irish republicans. The Irish
people mandated the ratification of the Irish Republic, All Ireland
independence and a functioning, self-governing nation.

100 years on its easy to underestimate the magnitude of their
achievement. This was one of the weakest generations that Ireland had
ever seen. They came not long after the famine where 1.5 million Irish
people lost their lives and 1.5 million people were forced to emigrate.

They learned a hard lesson that if decisions were made in London for any
part of Ireland that those decisions would never me made on our behalf.
They would never be made for our best interests and indeed they would at
times lead to the destruction of our people.

The Union Jack flew over every town in Ireland. It had flown in some
iteration in these towns for more than 500 years. It stood for the
largest empire the world had ever seen. Yet these men and women, the
weakest generation for hundreds of years, risked life and limb to
challenge that empire to seek our freedom and self-determination.

And for a significant part of our country their actions led to
self-determination. However it’s hard to believe that 100 years later,
our economy, our lives, our ability to progress as a nation is still
determined by the whims and egos of the Tory Party in London.

The Tory Party know nothing of our country and they care even less. A
couple of years ago the people of the north democratically decided to
remain in the EU. Yet that determination has been pegged in the bin by
the Tories. We were told that consent is at the heart of the Good Friday
Agreement and the peace on our island. Yet 100 years after the first
Dáil, that consent, that self determination still means nothing to the
Tories in London.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the first military action by the IRA
at Soloheadbeg, Tipperary where the Volunteers ambushed Royal Irish
Constabulary (RIC) officers who were escorting a consignment of
gelignite explosive. The two RIC officers lost their lives in that
action. All loss of life is a human tragedy and the families of those
who lost their lives on both sides of the Tan War/War of Independence
have a right to remember their loved ones in their own way.

However its important to be clear, there is no equivalence between the
British Military in 1919 who imposed oppression and suppressed democracy
through violence or the threat of violence and those Irish Volunteers
who struggled and risked everything for Irish freedom and
self-determination.

This type of equivocation has become the narrative of the new Fianna
Fáil and Fine Gael leadership. Indeed Lisa Chambers stated this weekend
that Fianna Fáil are “not celebrating” the momentous actions of 100
years ago, that “we need to be fair to all sides”. It always amazes me
that that those who want to be Ministers in Ireland seek to downgrade
those who fought for their right to be Ministers in an Irish Government.

It’s a struggle to think of other countries where the dominant political
view among the political elites is that their country’s freedom and the
necessary sacrifice that was made to achieve it was an ambiguous thing.

In which other country is equal respect given to the actions of those
who fought for freedom and the colonisers and the foreign occupation
forces. In which other country is this view considered a politically
beneficial position to hold.

There are three political traditions living in Ireland north and south.
One seeks to achieve full Irish Independence and one seeks to maintain
the union of the north with Britain. We need to reach out to and engage
with people of a Unionist tradition. I believe in this 100%. We need to
engage respectfully and set out our stall highlighting out full Irish
Independence will benefit their needs and objectives.

Brexit has radically accelerated this process. Many people of the
traditional unionist community in the north are reappraising their
loyalty to London given the Tories clear disdain for their democratic
wishes. The economic cliff that is Brexit has also awoken amongst many
from the traditionally unionist community the needs for
self-determination.

Brexit and the cost of the border has also awoken many in the south of
Ireland to the cost of the border. Many in the south recognize the
serious risk that exists leaving our ability to trade, do business,
travel and farm on the island of Ireland to be significantly influenced
by Theresa May and Boris Johnson.

Reaching out to other people does not mean denying who you are yourself
or denying your past. Real reconciliation happens when people are true
to themselves and their own identity and agree to make space for each
other’s identity.

Republicanism is a pluralist political objective. Pluralism is not about
forced convergence or uniformity. The Irish Republic should not be about
deleting difference and diversity. It should be about allowing that
diversity to flourish without fear or favour. The Republicanism of 1798,
of 1916 and 1918 is about the unity of differences, the unity of
Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter.

A central objective of our new All Ireland Movement is the peaceful
unity of the Irish people, the peaceful unity of the Green and the
Orange.

I said that there are three political traditions in Ireland. The third
is that of the political establishment. Many parties in the south will
talk the talk about the objectives and the ideals of the First Dáil.
They will sidle up for the photos and make very serious speeches.

But FF and FG will not do anything ever to dilute their power. In many
ways they rely on the border for their own political power. If the
border were to be removed today they would change from parties of power
and government to small regional parties. They will do their best to
prevent this.

Let us proudly celebrate the heroic efforts of those who founded and
built our national democratic first Dáil and remember that true
commemoration is the completion of its objectives.