Posted by Jim on June 23, 2018
“Ever since the 1920 British Government of Ireland Act —which artificially created a pro-British majority by ripping the Six Counties of Northern Ireland away from the other 26 Counties of Ireland— the British Government and the Unionists/Loyalist/Protestants have defended this gerrymander by claiming the ‘majority wanted it.’ … So, ‘majority rule’ was allegedly the settled British opinion, against which nobody could legitimately argue. It was reasonable, sensible, and fair-minded —everybody had to go along with it because that is how democracy works.
So, now that a Nationalist/Republican/Catholic majority is emerging in Northern Ireland, why is it suddenly irresponsible and undemocratic to acknowledge it, and its implications? Especially given the implications of Brexit for the entire island of Ireland? And, why would this article in the British newspaper Express claim that Irish Senator Mark Daly is being ‘triumphant’ and is ‘inflaming tension’ when he acknowledges the indisputable demographic changes in Northern Ireland. Whatever happened to the British position that ‘majority rule’ is reasonable, sensible, fair-minded and democratic—against which nobody can legitimately argue?”
—Fr. Sean McManus
‘Brexit is pushing Ireland closer to UNIFICATION’ – Irish politician’s triumphant boast
A LEADING Irish politician has risked inflaming tensions after claiming Northern Ireland could quit the UK over Brexit as he said Theresa May’s negotiations with the EU were isolating voters in the province.
MARK DALY
By James Bickerton . Express. UK. Saturday, June 23, 2018
In a triumphant statement, Mark Daly, a member of a top Irish Parliamentary Committee, said said “Brexit and the changing demographics of Northern Ireland” are going to end the province’s UK membership.
He claimed “The history of Irish unification is still to be written” and said both the British and Irish Governments should prepare for a referendum on Irish unity.
He argued the uncertainty as to whether people and goods will still be able to travel freely across the 300 mile Northern Ireland/Ireland border after Brexit was fueling the nationalist sentiment.
Whilst the UK as a whole voted for Brexit on 23 June 2016 Northern Ireland voted “Remain” by 56 percent to 44 percent.
A total of 85 percent of Northern Irish Catholics, who tend to support the unification of Ireland, opposed Brexit.
A 2015 BBC/RTE poll found that 30 percent of Northern Irish residents want to see a united Ireland.
However since the Brexit vote, this figure has exploded with a recent LucidTalk poll finding support at 42 percent, only slightly below the 45 percent who want to remain part of the UK.
The 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which ended the bloody Northern Ireland conflict, says a referendum on Irish unity should be held if it “appears likely” to get a majority.
Mark Daly has warned Theresa May there could be another Ireland referendum
The Irish Government has already got the EU to agree that if Northern Ireland joins the Republic it will automatically rejoin the EU, mimicking what happened with East Germany in 1990.
However, Brexiteers appear unfazed by the threat issued by Mr. Daly and are have said leaving the EU is more important than Northern Ireland remaining in the EU.
A polling report by Lord Ashcroft earlier this month said: “If it were not possible both to leave the EU and to keep England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales together in the UK, 63 percent of Leave voters in Great Britain (including 73 percent of Conservatives) said they would choose to leave the EU.27 percent said they would choose to keep the UK together, and one in ten say they didn’t know.”
Posted by Jim on
The unionist paramilitary UVF are being blamed for an ‘Eleventh Night’
bonfire being built close to a children’s play park in a built-up
residential area of Belfast.
More than 1,000 pallets and six black oil drums have already been
assembled to an area off the Newtownards Road near Ravenscroft Avenue.
East Belfast cleric Lucas Parks, whose grandfather was an Orangeman,
said he was highlighting his concern now because many others living in
the area were afraid to do so.
“It’s a UVF bonfire; it’s an overtly sectarian bonfire – tricolours get
burned,” he said. He said he worried about anti-social behaviour in the
run-up to the Eleventh Night, the night before the biggest day of the
year for sectarian Protestant marches.
Belfast City Council, which owns the public car park where the fire is
being built, said it would allow ts to proceed.
“We will continue to work with elected members and key stakeholders to
address how bonfires are managed and to minimise any potential negative
impacts on local residents,” the council said. “The approach to managing
bonfires is a member-led issue and a member-led decision making process
has been agreed.”
Meanwhile, dozens of UDA paramilitary flags have been erected in south
Belfast in recent days, including outside a primary School.
The SDLP’s Donal Lyons said the appearance of the flags at Taughmonagh
Primary School was “outrageous” and shows there are some who continue to
act as if they’re “beyond the law”.
“The fact that these UDA flags have been put up at the entrance to a
primary school and outside the local community centre where young
children will be forced to pass under them is particularly outrageous,”
he said. There is no justification for these flags to be up and no
reason that they should stay up”.
Another nationalist SDLP politician was mocked by paramilitaries after a
bonfire sign was erected of him wearing an Orange sash. Former Assembly
member John Dallat is depicted in Limavady wearing in an Orange sash and
includes a message that reads, “Dump bonfire wood”.
“I will be taking this intimation seriously,” he said. “I have asked the
PSNI to interview the culprits with a view to prosecuting them.”
Meanwhile, around 30 pallets were burnt prematurely this week at a
bonfire site on the Sandy Row in south Belfast. It is the second such
case of bonfire material being set ablaze before the marching season
gets underway.
The incident comes despite city council funding of over #26,521 for the
paramilitary-linked Belfast South Community Resources, based in Sandy
Row, to organise a “bonfire diversion”.
Meanwhile, DUP leader Arlene Foster has said she wants to work with the
anti-Catholic Orange Order to challenge “bigotry and prejudice” towards
the organisation.
The Orange Order, which only admits Protestants, was described recently
as a “reservoir of anti-Catholicism and sectarianism” by Presbyterian
Moderator Rev Ken Newell. On July 12, they organise the annual Twelfth
parades, which celebrate the Battle of the Boyne, a 17th century battle
victory over Catholics.
“I want to work with the Orange Institution to ensure the bigotry and
prejudice shown toward its members, halls and parades is challenged,” Ms
Foster said, without irony. “There is no place for such intolerance in
2018”.
Posted by Jim on
A judge in the non-jury trial of a prominent republican has admitted
the prosecution was based entirely on allegations extracted by police
threats and ordered him to be released, more than five and a half years
after he was initially charged.
Damian ‘DD’ McLaughlin was accused of moving a car which Gardai police
said was later used in an attack in which Maghaberry prison warder,
David Black, was killed outside Belfast.
The prosecution case against Mr McLaughlin rested solely on the
evidence of a Leitrim man, Stephen Brady, who was interrogated in a
coercive manner by gardai, according to the judge at Belfast Crown
Court.
The Diplock (non-jury) judge, Justice Adrian Colton, said that Gardai
in Dublin were guilty of ‘aggressive, oppressive, hectoring and
bullying’ when forcing Mr Brady to falsely identify Mr McLaughlin.
Recordings of the interviews, seen by the judge, were laced with illegal
attempts to extract false allegations. The judge said the interviews
were conducted in such a way as to “undermine the right to silence”. He
concluded that as the case was solely dependent on tainted evidence, “no
court could convict” Mr McLaughlin.
In an effort at damage limitation, prosecutors asked for a further 48
hours to consider an appeal before formally abandoning the case on
Thursday.
A statement from Mr McLaughlin’s lawyer, Peter Corrigan, said that he
had always vehemently denied the charges.
“The evidence obtained by the Gardai was significantly and fundamentally
flawed from the outset, and should never have been relied upon, nor
should Mr McLaughlin have been charged with these offences,” he said.
He added: “The techniques used by the gardai in extracting the
information from the suspect can only be described as oppressive and
inhuman. We plan to immediately proceed to make a complaint to the Garda
Ombudsman for allowing such practices to occur. If the gardai abided by
their own practice, our client would never have been before the courts.”
The saga of his prosecution saw Mr McLaughlin being returned to jail in
2012 after a previous incarceration, before he was bailed on draconian
conditions. Rearrested in Donegal after violating his bail conditions,
he was then extradited back North, despite a Dublin Court hearing that
the Maghaberry regime would violate his rights as laid out in the
European Convention on Human Rights. Remanded at the jail, he was
subjected to two strip searches a day by the prison’s riot squad.
Dee Fennell of Saoradh said the case should have far-reaching
consequences. “What has been exposed in the course of this case is the
corrupt nature of pursued prosecutions against Republicans,” he said.
“What is now apparent, ironically confirmed by a British Diplock Judge
of all people, is that DD McLaughlin was in jail because of a corrupt
Garda culture that acts unchecked and with no balances.
“It is totally unaccountable, supported by draconian legislation and
courts that have also been similarly deemed by organisations including
the United Nations and Amnesty International to be incompatible with
international law practices that commit to ensuring a fair trial.”
“This corruption is not only enabled by the Leinster House
establishment, it is encouraged by the political descendants of the Broy
Harriers and Blueshirts.”
The case has added to pressure for the abolition of the Special Criminal
Courts. On Wednesday night, a packed public meeting, in the Teachers
Club in Dublin, heard strong calls to abolish the courts, a campaign
that is being supported by a range of councillors, TDs, community
activists and trade unionists.
Mr Fennell said that scores of republicans “of various affiliations and
none” had been wrongly incarcerated by the courts and hit out at their
claim to prevent jury intimidation.
“Consistent reports, including from aforementioned human rights
organisations, can find no evidence of jury intimidation prior to the
SCC being initiated,” he said.
“When the SCC hears evidence, as in the case of an ongoing trial
involving male and female Republicans from Belfast and Dublin, even when
the sitting judges rule that evidence was gathered illegally, they
paradoxically rule this evidence admissible.
“‘Belief’ evidence is permitted, with a Garda above a certain rank
allowed identify someone they believe to be in the IRA. This evidence is
admissible and has been ruled as such even when the Garda has admitted
they had no knowledge of the defendant until after their arrest. This
alone is deemed enough evidence by the State to pass the prosecutorial
threshold.
“And of course, all this occurs after an arrested individual has their
right to silence when under questioning removed, with this also adjudged
by the 26 County administration to be supposed evidence of guilt.”
Mr Fennell warned there had been a “not too subtle” invitation from
Justice Colton to the 26 County administration to seek Mr McLaughlin’s
reverse extradition, because the Special Criminal Court in Dublin would
view the “evidence” more favourably.
“It should encourage human rights organisations, many of whom are quick
to highlight the repressive State apparatus being utilised by other
regimes, to initiate reports on the use of draconian legislation to
target political activists here at home. They should no longer be
allowed to continue their dereliction of duty in this regard.”
Posted by Jim on June 22, 2018
RADIO FREE EIREANN will broadcast this Saturday June 23rd on WBAI Radio 99.5FM or WBAI.ORG at 12 noon-1pm New York time or 5pm-6pm in Ireland or anytime after the program on WBAI.ORG – Archives
As we near July 4th celebrations of America’s Declaration of Independence, we will ask Dr. RUAN O’DONNELL, historian,Senior Lecturer at Limerick University and author of books on Patrick Pearse and Robert Emmet, about Ireland’s Declaration of Independence from Britain,and why as we near the 100th anniversary of Ireland’s Declaration of Independence there seem to be mixed emotions about celebrating.
TONY O’HARA ,a former Blanketman in the Long Kesh will talk about being blocked by the Gaelic Athletic Association from holding an event honoring his brother PATSY O’HARA one of the 1981 Hunger Strike Martyrs.
We will have a final preview of a special live WBAI performance co-starring RFE’s own JOHN MCDONAGH with MALACHY MCCOURT.
John McDonagh and Martin Galvin co-host.
Posted by Jim on
June 19, 2018 By Irish Echo Staff
By Irish Echo Staff
Members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in County Tyrone have honored New York State and Suffolk County AOH for the existence and preservation of the Thomas Clarke/Kathleen Daly Clarke memorial in Manorville, Long Island.
The honors were bestowed at a special ceremony in Clarke’s hometown of Dungannon.
Tyrone AOH County President Gerry McGeough presented plaques to New York State Secretary John Manning, and Freedom for all Ireland Chairman Martin Galvin in an event co-hosted by the Thomas Clarke Gaelic Football Club at O’Neill Park.
The visiting New Yorkers, on behalf of AOH NY State President Victor Vogel, presented a signed copy of the 1918 Irish Freedom Mandate measure passed by the New York State legislature,
Said Gerry McGeough during the ceremony: “Tyrone AOH is fully aware and deeply appreciative of the work done across the United States and particularly in New York State by the AOH, most recently the 1918 Irish Freedom Mandate.
“We do not often get the chance to thank you directly. Tyrone is especially proud that Thomas Clarke was a Tyrone man and a Dungannon man.
“We learned of the beautiful memorial that New York State AOH and Suffolk County have erected at his American home site. We wanted to give special recognition to you and are grateful to your State President Victor Vogel, and to you for coming and accepting these awards.
“County Tyrone AOH continues to grow, helped by groups like the Thomas Clarke Gaelic Football Club, here with us today, and the efforts of the AOH in America.”
New York AOH State Secretary John Manning said in reply: “On behalf of the New York State Ancient Order of Hibernians and representing our state president, Vic Vogel, we are deeply grateful to County Tyrone AOH and the Thomas Clarke Gaelic Football Club for honoring us with these presentations.
“As an organization that cherishes Irish history and is deeply committed to freedom for all Ireland, we take pride that in addition to being a Tyrone man and a Dungannon man, the great patriot Thomas Clarke was also an American citizen, who lived in Brooklyn and Manorville in Suffolk County New York before returning to Ireland and beginning the work of organizing and leading the Easter Rising of 1916.
“The memorial to him at his home site in Suffolk County, and the many commemorations we hold across the state and across America, reflect our continuing commitment to see Thomas Clarke’s county and all of the six counties get the national freedom and sovereignty he and the other Easter Week leaders proclaimed and pledged in 1916.
“These awards will be carried back and displayed in a special place of honor in our AOH halls and be a sign of further cooperation between us. Our state president, Victor Vogel, has asked me to convey a message that he hopes to visit you soon.”
Martin Galvin, New York State Freedom for all Ireland chairman, presented a copy of the New York State legislature’s measure honoring the centenary of Ireland’s 1918 Mandate for Freedom to Michael Corrigan, chairman of the Thomas Clarke GFC, who hosted the ceremony.
Galvin said: “It is very special for us as New York Hibernians to receive recognition in Ireland. One of the main objectives of the AOH in America is to promote freedom for all Ireland. This year we will mark the centenary of the all-Ireland vote where the Irish people voted an overwhelming mandate for freedom for a thirty-two county all-Ireland parliament, or Dáil Eireann, and for the 1916 Rising.
“Tragically Britain answered this democratic vote for freedom with military oppression, sectarianism and partition, and the price paid here in Tyrone and across the six counties. It never again permitted one all-Ireland vote.
“New York State AOH wishes to present you with a copy of the Irish Freedom Mandate Resolution, bearing the seal of the New York State Senate and Assembly, as a token of our continuing commitment and efforts throughout the year to support your right to freedom for all of Ireland.”
Michael Corrigan accepted the mandate and announced that it would be permanently displayed in the Museum Room of the stadium alongside a framed handwritten letter written by Thomas Clarke while in prison, along with other historical items.
Other dignitaries at the gathering included Dungannon Historian Bertie Foley, GAA official Art McCrory, Ladies AOH officers Michelle Robbins and Catherine Sewell, and Sperrin mountains environmental campaign activist Martin Tracey.
Following the ceremony, Martin Galvin attended a meeting hosted by Mark Thompson of Relatives for Justice at its Dungannon office.
Representatives of a number of victims’ families attended.
Mr. Thompson and the families briefed Mr. Galvin on the newly published legacy consultation document made public by the British government.
According to a release, “family after family talked about the delays, stonewalling and deceit which they have suffered over decades in trying to get justice.
“These tactics have made these victims deeply worried over what will emerge from new legacy structures. They were also deeply encouraged by the congressional initiative and new awakening stemming from the Mark Thompson’s emergency tour hosted by the New York State AOH earlier this year.”