As party gears up for general election in Republic, its differing fortunes on both sides of border are stark. It must now find a way to appeal to fickle electorate in South without alienating its base
Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill at the Sinn Fein ard fheis in Athlone
Allison Morris
Today at 01:35
Sinn Fein’s strength in harnessing the republican vote was always as an all-island party with unity as its core message.
But the weekend ard fheis has shown that while discussions around Irish unity have grown year on year and are now part of the mainstream political discourse, uniting the two sides of the party — north and south — is proving much more difficult.
It is gearing up for a general election in the Republic, and will be directing resources into achieving its best ever results after a disappointing showing in the local and EU elections earlier this year.
It comes at a difficult time, with the party in a self-reflective mode as politics and priorities among voters change at a rapid pace — on occasion too quickly for policy to keep ahead of.
For the second year running the ard fheis was held in Athlone on the banks of the River Shannon.
The venue is not popular with many of the northern grassroots, who find the location inaccessible due to poor transport links, the expense and limited accommodation.
This may sound like a small issue to complain about, but Sinn Fein members class themselves as activists willing to give up their time when duty calls.
Being priced out of attendance at the ard fheis has left some feeling like the unwanted and uncouth cousins at a posh wedding.
The growth of Sinn Fein has brought a new type of party member, people who are not influenced by the political affiliations of their parents or grandparents.
For the first time Ireland is turning into a three-party state, with a century of dominance by the two civil war parties seemingly at an end.
This growth also attracted people with no attachment to the origins of modern Sinn Fein or the Troubles north of the border.
Sinn Fein’s voter base was originally almost entirely a working class urban electorate, but the rapid growth of the party saw a change.
In the north, demographics have helped fuel its ascendancy — a growing and more youthful nationalist middle class, but with parents or grandparents who would have been from that republican tradition.
They have moved to more affluent areas, taking up key positions in business and law, but taking their culture, sport and politics with them.
In the south, that has not been the case.
People from more traditionally affluent or middle class areas found their children priced out of the property market. The path traditionally followed to home ownership was closed. Foreign property speculators were buying up portfolios of thousands of properties, pushing up the rental market and pricing people out.
Companies like Airbnb, a company built on the quaint idea of making a few pounds by renting an empty room to a tourist, soon became a business empire that has changed the property market for the worse.
This sent those voters looking for an alternative, many finding Sinn Fein.
But how do you create a party of property rights, big business, and still reflect the origins of a socialist and democratic movement with rights and equality as core values?
This, and the rising cost of immigration that has fuelled a small but vocal far-right, has created an angry electorate, and one that has no traditional voter loyalty and will therefore swing with the wind.
Sinn Fein made only small gains in the last election in the Republic despite the opinion polls predicting a landslide only a year ago.
And so this ard fheis was most certainly a more reflective one.
In Celtic Ireland, it was said that all roads led to the Hill of Tara and the halls of the High King. This weekend all roads will lead to Athlone for the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis (annual convention).
The Ard Fheis draws delegates from all levels of the party to elect the Sinn Féin National Officer Board and Ard Chomhairle (National Leadership Council) and set party policy.
It is an open and democratic forum to debate policy and organizational priorities for the incoming leadership.
Over one thousand members will attend the two-day conference with hundreds of speakers and fringe events. The debates will be lively and votes will be taken.
It is a great way to renew old connections, grab a coffee, and catch up on the latest scéal (news). There is also serious business to be done.
In the past the Ard Fheis has made significant decisions; to take seats in the Dublin parliament, endorse the Good Friday Agreement, support policing in the North, and repeal of the 8th Amendment. All of these were passed after extensive discussions. The democratic process is essential to maintaining cohesion.
The Ard Fheis also elects the Sinn Féin leadership. The term of office is one year. Two stand-out conferences were the one at which Gerry Adams announced that he would be standing down and the one that elected Mary Lou McDonald Sinn Féin President.
Each Ard Fheis offers an opportunity for party renewal and the setting policy to meet the challenges of today.
I would anticipate that the main policy considerations will be housing, foreign policy, and Irish Unity.
At the end of August Eoin O’Brion TD, the Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson published extensive proposals to build homes to meet the current housing crisis. We are at the point where we are losing a generation to Australia and Canada. A point where nurses, teachers, and garda (police) cannot afford to rent or buy in our major cities. A generation of homeless families are growing up in emergency accommodation. These are challenges across the US and Canada.
The building of affordable homes for rent or purchase is key to unlocking the potential of the economy, stemming the tide of emigration, securing public services, and ending homelessness. Sinn Féin has the policies and people to make the difference.
With Russia continuing its occupation of Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza continuing, and war building in Lebanon, foreign policy will be debated. The cause of peace and justice must be heard above the roar of shelling.
Sinn Féin is an all-Ireland party. We will debate the essential steps forward to building a new and united Ireland. Central to this will be an Irish Government planning, preparing and advocating for unity, something that every Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael government has failed to do for over one hundred years.
Sinn Féin in government in Dublin will lead the process of unity.
Have a great weekend, I know I will.
Is mise,
Ciarán
Ciarán Quinn is the Sinn Féin Representative to North America
“I love Northern Ireland, and I really like the people here, but I think that they’re way too self critical. I think the comparisons people make here are not between Northern Ireland and some other society, but between Northern Ireland and some abstract notion of a perfect society that doesn’t exist.”
He said a “more realistic assessment” of the region is a “place of people with great energy, determination, great skill and an opportunity to meet the needs that people here have and people everywhere have.
“The same basic desires: a decent job, a decent home, and, most importantly, a chance to get your children off to a good start in life, good education, good health care, good learning; and I believe this is, and will increasingly be, a society of that kind.”
The former Democratic Party Senate majority leader’s latest visit coincides with the sod-cutting ceremony and fundraising campaign for new premises for the Senator George J Mitchell institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice at Queen’s.
Mind you, the rain and wind today in Belfast would scunder anyone.
Letter: Nice to see a good Belfast Protestant defending Blessed Virgin Mary
Catholic priest welcomes condemnation by Wallace Thompson of sectarian chant
Fermanagh-born Fr Sean McManus is president of the Washington-based Irish National Caucus
By Letters to the Editor
September 25, 2024 at 6:00am BST
It was very nice seeing a good Belfast Protestant, Wallace Thompson, standing up to defend the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, in Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit – “Godless fools don’t deserve to be called Protestants” (September 19).
It breaks my heart and wounds my soul any time I see the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Our Most Holy Redeemer, insulted and blasphemed against. And one can be sure that it deeply offends Jesus Christ Himself. It is such an awful assault on the foundation of the Christian faith – the Blessed Trinity and the incarnation – that I feel the only word for it can be “satanic”. Because how can anyone, especially Christians, utter such depraved and diabolical language against God’s revealed plan of salvation: that the second person of the Blessed Trinity/God’s Son/God’s Word had to become human – had to be incarnated – and the only way, in God’s plan of salvation, that could happen was for His Word to be born of a human woman by the power of the Holy Spirit… And of all the wonderful women in the world, God chose the Virgin Mary to be the mother of His Son – giving Mary a unique and indispensable relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Mary was the first Christian, the first follower of Jesus (even though it was Jesus who ‘followed her around’ for nine months in her womb, and later as a toddler and young boy)…How could anyone hate the Blessed Virgin Mary? Only Satan can because Satan hates Jesus Christ, Son of God and son of Mary.
A statue of the Virgin Mary at Medjugorje, Bosnia
If you reject Mary – remove her from the picture, so to speak – you reject God’s plan of salvation, as the Gospel beautifully and plainly reveals.
It is obvious from everything I’ve said that Mary was human, which dismisses the big lie that Catholics worship Mary as if she were God. Nothing could be more outrageously, ridiculously false. If Mary were not human, the incarnation could not have happened – the Word would not have been “made flesh”.
Finally, I should mention it is also important to realise that the Blessed Virgin Mary was not some weak, timid, servile person (as some Christian art can imply) but a strong, fearless woman of great faith, justice and solidarity.
Her famous Magnificat powerfully proclaims God as a God of social justice. The Catholic Dictionary of Fundamental Theology says it is the strongest canticle/song in the entire New Testament and describes it as the first song of liberation in the New Testament. This same dictionary declares: “Our age needs a theology of freedom and liberation that will faithfully echo Mary’s Magnificat as preserved in the memory of the Church.”
Geordy P. Austin passed away at home on September 21, 2024 after a brief illness, with his lovely Diane at his side. Geordy was born December 15, 1939 to Patrick and Maggie Magee Austin in Belfast, North of Ireland. While he started work at age 10, by the age 14 Geordy left school to help support his family of thirteen. With his father’s influence as a member in the Irish TGWUnion he became a Belfast Dock worker. Geordy relocated to the USA in 1981 and eventually settled in Syracuse in 2000 with Diane. Geordy’s life in Central New York was highlighted with his passion and commitment to Irish causes, particularly the AOH Freedom For All Ireland Committee. He was an active member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, a founder of both the CNY Irish Cultural Society and the CNY Irish Coalition. Geordy’s life long passion was civil rights, truth and justice for all. His musical talent included singing and playing many instruments. His passion for Irish history and his quest for a united Ireland were his priorities. He encouraged others to learn the Irish language, their heritage, and the true history of Ireland.
Geordy is survived by his wife Diane L. Menzies and his sons Patrick of Urrugne, France and Martin of Belfast, Ireland. He also leaves his sisters Margaret Cambell and Sheila Freeburn, brothers Jim, Joseph, Jerry, and Tony, three sister in laws Laurie, Leslie, and Lizabeth, as well as many extended family. He is predeceased by his sister Mary, brothers Patrick, Brian, Sean, and nephews, and many colleagues.
Calling hours are at 10:00 am on September 28 at St Patrick’s Church, Tipperary Hill in Syracuse, NY. A Mass will follow at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Geordy’s memory to The Pat Finucane Centre in Derry, Ireland and to the Hospice of CNY.To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Geordy Austin, please visit Tribute Store
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