AOH National President Brendan Moore answers question of boycott

Posted by Jim on March 17, 2014

Brothers, I am sending this message out to our National Board and State Presidents because perhaps some of you (especially in the NY metro area) have been receiving calls/emails regarding the decision of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee to permit six members of the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) to march on Monday as part of a Garda police unit from the Republic. At first I was surprised at the PSNI request and wondered if their participating might be seen as an omen/vision of a future single policing body within the context of a united Ireland. Similarly, I wondered if the PSNI folks could possibly be aware that the only message permitted and seen continuously throughout the parade they seek to participate in consists of merely five words:”England Get Out of Ireland.” Indeed, life is full of ironies!!
You should understand that the AOH here in New York does not sponsor or manage this parade, and has not done so for 12 years.

Having served as National Freedom For All Ireland Chairman for fourteen years during some of the worst periods in the Six Counties, I remain an unapologetic Irish Republican. Some feel that the AOH should now refuse to march as a form of protest. If that is the conviction of some of our Brothers, then that is their decision.

In the bad old days, Ian Paisley used to bark, “No surrender…Not one inch!” as his response to the aspirations of Irish Nationalists.

I have been a participant in the 5th Avenue Parade for well more than half of my life. I have no intention of surrendering the AOH’s position on 5th Avenue-“Not one inch!”

All the best,
Brendan