On Saturday, February 15, 2020 at 1000 hours, a Street Renaming Ceremony will be held honoring the memory of retired Lieutenant Mark W. McKay, L-45, who died on April 4, 2011. The ceremony will be held at the corner of Parsifal Place & Ellis Place, Bronx, NY. All off-duty members and their families are invited to attend. Members are requested to attend in dress uniform.
ON THE ARM BREAKFAST AT FRIENDS OF FIREFIGHTERS
On Wednesday, February 12, from 8:00 -11:00 AM, all FDNY members are invited to Friends of Firefighters (199 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231) for On the Arm Breakfast. For those unfamiliar with FoF programs and services, the monthly breakfasts are a great way to see how we operate and tour our main facility, a circa 1870’s firehouse in Red Hook, Brooklyn. No RSVP necessary. For more information, please email Marlo at info@friendsoffirefighters.org.
2020 NYC MARATHON PARTICIPATION WITH THE FDNY RUNNING CLUB
Any member interested in running the 2020 NYC Marathon must register for the marathon lottery with the NYRR at https://www.nyrr.org/tcsnycmarathon by February 13, 2020. For more information about the marathon and the FDNY Running Club, please email Denis Sweeney, D-6 at denis.p.sweeney@gmail.com.
20 YEAR REUNION
A 20 year reunion for members in the 1/2000 probationary firefighter class will be held on February 29, 2020. For more information, please email 1stof2000@gmail.com with your name, phone number and email address.
PLUNGE FOR ELODIE
For the first time this year, in honor of Tottenville’s John Hudson Dilgen, there will be a Plunge For Elodie taking place in Staten Island. The Polar Plunge will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2020 to raise funds for and bring awareness to a rare skin disease called EB & the EB Research Partnership. The Plunge will take place at the South Beach Boardwalk of Staten Island. Participants will gather on the Boardwalk in front of the Vanderbilt for check-in (9-9:25 AM) and then proceed to the beach for the Plunge (9:30 AM sharp!). You can show your support by plunging, observing, donating or all of the above. Visit https://www.plungeforelodie.org/statenisland for more information and to register.
A-Stormont returns but bad faith on British financial pledges
charged-Two days before the deadline
threatening a new election, agreement was reached to restore the Stormont
Assembly, after a three year absence.DUP head Arlene Foster returned as the north’s first
minister, while Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill was named deputy first minister.
The agreement to restore the assembly was welcomed by British Prime Minister
Boris Johnson and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, and accompanied by British
promises of extra funding to meet the north’s economic crisis in areas like
health and education. However almost immediately new Finance Minister Conor Murphy
charged that the British had “stepped back from its financial commitments”
and the actual financial package was “an act of bad faith”, far less
than the parties had been led to believe keeping the north in an
“austerity trap.” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson termed it a
“momentous day…after three years without devolved government, an
executive can now get on with the job of delivering much needed reforms to the
health service, education and justice”.”Taoiseach Leo Varadkar commended the six county
political parties “for their decision to put the people they represent
first and make measured compromises to reach a deal”. In a surprising move
the DUP backing Sinn Fein member Alex Maskey as speaker instead of the SDLP
member in line for the position. Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill will now
have to show if they can share power and deliver on the commitments in the new
Stormont. The five largest parties in the north, the DUP, Sinn Fein Alliance,
SDLP and UUP also got ministerial posts. With the exception of the role of
justice minister, posts are picked using the D’Hondt system, according to
numbers in the assembly. The Justice Ministry is different because the DUP will
not allow members from the nationalist SDLP or Sinn Fein to hold this post. The
key stumbling blocks were the petition of concern, which had been wielded as a
veto by the DUP, and an Irish language act. The new deal requires use of the
petition, be “reduced and returned to its intended purpose” and would
“only be used in the most exceptional circumstances and as a last resort,
having used every other mechanism”. The deal pledges legislation for both
an Irish language commissioner and an Ulster-Scots commissioner. Irish language
group Conradh na Gaeilge said it was a “historic advancement” but
added it “falls very much short” of promises for an Irish Language
act.
B-No honors for Black and Tans as planned ceremony backfires- A planned commemoration honoring the
Royal Irish Constabulary and Dublin Metropolitan Police forces was “deferred”
by the Irish justice minister after boycotts and popular outrage. The Royal
Irish Constabulary (RIC) and Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) were formed in
the early 19th century to help keep Ireland under British rule. The prefix
Royal was added to the name of Irish Constabulary because of their efforts to put
down the Fenians, including many Irish Americans and American Hibernians who
fought during America’s Civil War. The DMP identified the leaders of 1916 to be
shot. During the Irish War of Independence (1919-21), the British government
bolstered RIC ranks by recruiting thousands of ex- British soldiers, mainly
from England. The RIC special reserve were nicknamed the Black and Tans because
of their distinctive uniforms, while a group of former British officers were
known as the Auxiliaries. They were described in ballads as “England’s
foul horde” using terror tactics
against the Irish, targeting civilians and burning homes and farms including Balbriggan and sections
of Cork. Speaking about his decision to defer the event, Justice Minister
Flanagan said: “There were those in the RIC who committed
atrocities. The horrific record of the Black and Tans and Auxiliaries is
well known. But there others officers who behaved with dignity and
honour.” Dublin City councillors voted to boycott the Dublin Castle event
with a motion that was passed by 38 votes to 10.The Wolfe Tone’s song “Come Out Ye Black and Tans” shot to
the top of the play list. Newscasts and editorials reminded the public of the
history of the force would be not just remembered but honored by a any such
commemoration. The deferred commemoration is considered a factor in the loss of popularity in opinion
for Fine Gael in the upcoming Irish election.
C-Brexit comes but real
problems only beginning Hundreds of anti-Brexit campaigners held demonstrations along
the Irish border as Britain left the European Union on January 31st. Protesters gathered at six locations along
the border in counties Louth, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Monaghan and Donegal. Stormont Finance Minister, Conor Murphy of Sinn Fein,
said: “This part of Ireland did not consent to Brexit, we voted
significantly to remain within the EU and we are being taken out of the EU
without consent. There is now an 11 month transition period where Britain remains in the EU’s customs union and single market and
continues to obey EU rules but is no longer part of the political institutions.
There are no longer any British MEPs in the European Parliament. Now Britain
must negotiate a trade deal with the European Union that includes Ireland.
Britain wants access for its goods and services to the EU but wants out the
customs union and single market and an end the overall jurisdiction of the
European Court of Justice. All 27 member states and the European Parliament
have to be in agreement on a trade deal. Formal talks might only begin in March
and Johnson
has said there will be no extensions to the transition period. If there is no
trade deal by the end of the year, then
the Britain faces the prospect of tariffs on exports.
D-Wolfe Tones were
targets of Miami Showband Massacre
The lead singer of the Wolfe
Tones, believes they were the intended target of the loyalist attack that
claimed the lives of three members of the Miami Showband. The Miami Showband
were targeted after being stopped at a bogus patrol, manned by UDR and UVF
members, in the early hours of July 31 1975.Lead singer Fran O’Toole, guitarist
Tony Geraghty and trumpeter Brian McCoy
were murdered as they returned to Dublin after a concert in Banbridge,
Co Down. All three were shot several times, after a bomb was placed under the
band’s van to make it seem as though the group had been transporting explosives.
Top of ForBottom of FormTwo
members of the UVF gang behind the attack, Harris Boyle and Wesley Somerville,
were killed when the bomb exploded prematurely. UDR members Thomas Raymond
Crozier and Rodney Shane McDowell, and UVF member James Somerville, were
convicted of the murders. Brian Warfield of The Wolfe Tones, said shortly
before the Miami Showband attack the band were warned that their lives were at
risk. Adding that they had been warned not to travel across the border in the
mid-70s following an incident at a GAA club outside of Kilkeel when they had to
flee the area by driving across the Mourne Mountains. Mr Warfield said: “I
believe the massacre of the Miami was set up for the Wolfe Tones on that night.”
“We were playing in a big marquee … I came out and the organizers
said to me ‘you can’t go
home the main road’.”I said why is that and he said ‘because there is a
blockade waiting for you down there’.”He said, ‘we’re going to take you
over the mountains of Mourne’, which they did”.”The day we got back
to Dublin the Special Branch said that the Wolfe Tones were not to go north
again, that our lives were in danger.”I believe that the Glenanne Gang
were in that front bar …getting ready to pick up the Wolfe Tones on the way
home.
CHRISTMAS APPEAL
There is still time
to contribute to Freedom for all Ireland and the Christmas Appeal. The Stormont
Assembly was restored after three years, but the British government stepped
back from its financial pledges putting the north in a new austerity trap.
Brexit was pushed through with long term effects on Ireland that will not
be fully seen for years. Legacy mechanisms promised at Stormont House in 2014,
will finally be moved forward but only after the British and DUP
have blocked truth and justice for families of victims
murdered by the crown or loyalist agents. The British want to remove
Human Rights Acts protections formally written into the Good Friday
Agreement, giving a legalized immunity for British troopers. The DUP wants
to undercut investigations of crown forces by the Historical Investigations
Unit.
Those still denied
freedom in Ireland count on the AOH and LAOH to stand behind them.
Those who participated in last February’s AOH-LAOH tour saw and
heard firsthand how important our grants are.
We have already received more
appeals for help than ever before from justice groups, ex-prisoners,
cultural groups etc
Don’t let them down!!!
AOH-LAOH
FFAI CHRISTMAS APPEAL
PO
Box 904
Jefferson
Valley,
New
York 10535
REGISTER
NOW FOR PRESIDENTIAL FORUM
At one time, it was commonplace at Irish
events to hear speakers ask why American presidents never spoke about Irish
issues like they took up the issues of other countries. That ended in 1992
because of the work done by John Dearie and the pledges given by candidate Bill
Clinton, which changed the Irish political landscape so dramatically.
The 1992 Presidential Forum was
historic for Irish America because of pledges given by future President Bill
Clinton about a visa for Gerry Adams, a special envoy which became George
Mitchell, and the question about Joe Doherty and political asylum which led to
deferred action for Irish political deportees like Matt Morrison, Gabriel
Megahey and Brian Pearson etc.
The most important step in any Irish political
forum is guaranteeing a big enough crowd so that presidential candidates
feel
it necessary to make time to speak about our Irish issues. Former Assemblyman
John Dearie has asked the AOH for help. Judge McKay will be one of the
panelists.
Please
register for the event by emailing IrishForum2020@gmail.com
,and include your name and telephone number. The forum will be held at 1pm
April 26th at Fordham Law School, on West 62nd street ,New York.
FFAI MONTHLY BULLETIN
Please read and distribute the monthly FFAI
Bulletin. The is now available on AOH national email blasts, or on the New York
State and National AOH web sites. We want to give you monthly updates on key
events in the north with short analysis and explanation.
Slan,
MARTIN GALVIN
NB-Because
of time constraints this must be sent out before the Irish General Election.
Will have a full analysis in the next bulletin!
WTC Retired Firefighter Michael L. Feldman Ladder Company 161 WAKE Tuesday, February 4, 2020 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM A.L. Jacobsen Funeral Home 1380 New York Avenue Huntington Station, NY 11746
MEMORIAL SERVICE Wednesday, February 5, 2020 11:00 AM A.L. Jacobsen Funeral Home 1380 New York Avenue Huntington Station, NY 11746
All Off-Duty Members should attend in Class A Uniform
The widow of murdered defence lawyer Pat Finucane has won permission at
Belfast’s High Court to challenge the continuing failure of the British
government to carry out an effective investigation.
Geraldine Finucane was granted leave to seek a judicial review as part
of her ongoing fight to secure a public inquiry into her husband’s
assassination in 1989.
In February last year, the Supreme Court held that previous inquiries
into the murder did not meet human rights standards.
Mrs Justice Keegan ruled on Friday that Mrs Finucane has established an
arguable case that the British government’s delay in taking action since
then is unlawful. Proceedings will now advance to a full hearing later
this year.
The judge said: “This is not a guarantee of success, but it’s clear to
me and fairly obvious that there’s already a passage of time… that
will require to be explained in evidence.”
Mr Finucane was killed by loyalist paramilitaries in collusion with
British military intelligence. He was shot dead in front of his wife and
three children at their north Belfast home in February 1989. His family
have campaigned ever since for a full examination of Crown Force force
collusion with the killers.
Lawyers for British Direct Ruler Julian Smith insisted he is committed
to making a decision on their demands for a public inquiry as soon as
possible.
During the judicial review hearing, a barrister for the Finucane family
said they are being treated with contempt. He said that the level of
delay since the Supreme Court reached its decision “beggars belief”.
Last weekend, Mrs Finucane said she has been left “frustrated and
disappointed” after her latest meeting with the British government was
postponed.
The postponement was due to Smith’s diary commitments, an official
letter said.
Mrs Finucane said: “The latest delay leads me to the conclusion that
this administration will be no different than previous ones, when it
comes to honouring its responsibilities concerning British State
involvement in the murder of my husband.”
