NY SUCCESS FOR 1916 SOCIETIES

Posted by Jim on October 12, 2015

 

CONTACT: 917-291-1373

Kevin Martin, the National Treasurer of the 1916 Societies, the fastest growing Republican separatist organization, which began in Tyrone and is spreading across Ireland, began a whirlwind visit to New York to introduce its new political strategy and “One Ireland One Vote” initiative in America. The centrepiece of the tour was a well attended public meeting, in mid-town Manhattan, at the fashionable Wolfe Tone Irish Pub. The tour included a live radio interview with the influential Radio Free Eireann program, briefings of journalists and officers of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and has been expanded to conduct follow-up meetings in the New York area.

Before the first public meeting Mr. Martin visited the Brooklyn studios of WBAI Radio, where he gave a wide-ranging interview to Radio Free Eireann hosts John McDonagh and Sandy Boyer, lasting thirty minutes. Mr. Martin said when asked what the 1916 Societies are:

“The 1916 Societies were formed in 2009 in East Tyrone, and is now spreading around the country. We are proposing peaceful alternative strategies to revive feelings about a United Ireland and rebuild momentum to that aim. We contend that current British strategy gives former republicans, now constitutional nationalists the trappings of power at Stormont while trapping citizens with a permanent unionist veto at Stormont over any real change, much less movement to a united Ireland. The 1916 Societies are committed to exclusively peaceful means and advocate a ONE IRELAND ONE VOTE, initiative supported by debates, petition for a new All-Ireland Referendum.”

When asked whether we were getting closer to seeing the ideals of a united Ireland, Mr. Martin replied:

“Today those ideals seem to be getting further away than ever. A recent poll in the GUARDIAN newspaper showed that only one in five people in the occupied 6 counties believes there will be a United Ireland within 20 years, and that this number is half what it was in surveys after the Good Friday Agreement. Sadly there are some in the 26 counties who seem to feel that they have little or no obligation towards fellow Irish citizens living under a British administration directed by David Cameron. This cannot be allowed, therefore, the 1916 Societies are campaigning for the only alternative which is a free and open, All-Ireland referendum, to determine future constitutional arrangements for Ireland. We have a vision and a strategy for Irish freedom which is gaining traction against the failed existing establishment.”

Asked what he thought of current political strategies to gain a united Ireland, he said:

“Nationalist political parties in Stormont promised a united Ireland by 2003, then 2014, then 2016. They now say we are in a ‘countdown’ to freedom, while evidence shows the British are succeeding in ensuring that won’t happen as it has been written into the detail of the Good Friday Agreement under the guise of a Border Poll. NO constitutional change through a border poll as set out in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement will ever happen. In actual fact, a border poll completely denies the citizens in the 26 Counties their democratic right to vote on Irish unity and is in reality designed to suit the Unionist majority voters in the 6 counties by excluding all voters in the 26 Counties.

“A Border poll gives the British Secretary of State a supreme veto over Irish self-determination; it discriminates against the majority of the people of Ireland and is designed as a triple lock against Irish unity. This makes no sense whatsoever for Republicans pursuing a United Ireland and therefore it should be condemned outright”.

PUBLIC MEETING

Mr. Martin hurried from the WBAI radio studio in Brooklyn to the newly opened Wolfe Tone Irish Pub in mid-town Manhattan, for the formal American public launch of the 1916 Societies. Here he was introduced by well-known Republican Martin Galvin, who said he had been “approached by trusted friends and family members of commemorated patriots, who said that new political initiatives were needed if we were ever able to see an end of British rule in Ireland. A little over a year ago, at the commemoration of my close friend Liam Ryan in Ardboe, I was briefed about 1916 Societies’ initiatives and asked would I help them get a hearing in the United States. Today we are fortunate to have with us Kevin Martin, National Treasurer of the 1916 Societies and to hear first-hand about an All-Ireland petition their flagship initiative which is spreading swiftly right across Ireland.”

ENDORSEMENTS

Kevin Martin began his presentation with a DVD specially prepared for his American launch. The DVD gave a brief historical outline and then concluded with several personal endorsements of the One Ireland One Vote (OIOV) initiative. Derek Warfield of the Wolfe Tones called it “the most important political initiative to unite Ireland he had seen in years.”

Tyrone Councillor Barry Monteith said “if you believe in the principles of 1916 and national freedom, you should believe in One Ireland One Vote.” Councillor Davy Hyland noted he was speaking in Newry, the birthplace of John Mitchel, a patriot who was exiled to America, and urged exiled children in America to support the same aim for Irish freedom by supporting One Ireland One Vote. Councillor Bernice Swift urged Americans and everyone to “get behind the One Ireland One Vote and be part of an initiative which will be heard around the world by signing the petition to play your part for an Independent and Free Ireland.”

OPENING

Kevin Martin then gave an explanation of the 1916 Societies and its strategy. He noted:

“We are approaching the centenary of the Easter Rising, and the ideals and spirit of 1916 remind us that the right to national freedom and sovereignty which they proclaimed has not yet come for the people of 6 Irish counties.

“The 1916 Societies are an Irish separatist movement. We believe the Irish Republic should be a sovereign, independent state as set out in the 1916 Proclamation and are committed to achieving the reunification of Ireland on that basis. We believe in the right of the Irish people to national self-determination and demand this be exercised in the form of a 32-county, inclusive and democratic all-Ireland referendum on Irish Unity, requiring at its end a full British withdrawal from all of Ireland.

“Britain clearly states, backed up by its own legislation, that it will only call a border poll if and when they are satisfied as to its outcome. Even after all of that, any decision is legally non-binding and subject to the further assent of the British Parliament at Westminster. This ‘triple lock’ effectively bars any movement towards ending partition without British agreement, ensuring the notion of Irish Unity remains no more than an aspiration with little prospect of being physically realised.

“This cannot be allowed, therefore, the 1916 Societies are campaigning for the only alternative which is a free and open, All-Ireland referendum, to determine future democratic and constitutional arrangements for Ireland as of right. We have a vision and a strategy for Irish freedom which is gaining traction against the failed existing political establishment.

“The 1916 Societies believe that the potential impact of the One Ireland One Vote initiative is immeasurable in defeating current British strategy and putting us back on track to achieving the ideals and freedom which were proclaimed almost a century ago at the GPO in Dublin”.

Mr. Martin then answered questions from the audience before calling upon respected New York businessman and Republican supporter, who had previously read out The Proclamation, Hugh O’Lunney originally from, Swanlinbar in County Cavan to be the first person to sign the One Ireland One Vote Petition.

 

 

BRIEFINGS

Mr. Martin also conducted briefings with journalists including Ray O’Hanlon of the IRISH ECHO newspaper, and officers with the Ancient Order of Hibernians. After joining the AOH for a Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral he was invited to address them at an event that followed the service. Here Mr. Martin thanked the American AOH for its support for freedom-for-all-Ireland, and said that the 1916 Societies offered a crucial opportunity to support the rights to freedom and principles of 1916 by a new initiative of debates, forums and referendum.

Before returning to Ireland, Mr. Martin conducted a series of follow-up meetings with individuals who are interested in the 1916 Societies and those who want to explore its political strategy to achieve a united Ireland.