EU could rescue Six Counties from hard Brexit

Posted by Jim on February 10, 2018

With no sign of a British government solution to the issue of the Irish
border, the European Union is reportedly preparing a draft of the
British withdrawal treaty with the North of Ireland effectively having
status within the EU.

The move comes after Brussels’ chief Brexit negotiator warned that
border checks will otherwise be unavoidable under British plans to
leave the EU single market and customs union.

Mr Barnier also warned that agreement on a transition period to smooth
Britain’s exit from the EU was “not a given” — indicating the
possibility remained of a sudden and chaotic introduction of border
controls across Ireland.

Michel Barnier made the remarks after London expressed a new
determination to leave the customs union and the single European
market. The comments also came after unionist hardliner Ian Paisley jnr
of the DUP called on the British parliament to adopt a “no surrender
attitude”.

Unionists remain focused on a potential blame game with the EU over the
introduction of border checks, with the DUP insisting it is only the
the EU which is “brandishing the threat of customs controls”.

Last month, South Down Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard warned over the
possibility of civil disobedience and local anger and frustration in
border areas “at even the thought of a customs post going up”.

British officials negotiating in Brussels were told by their
counterparts on Tuesday that while full alignment between North and
South would be the only option included in the withdrawal treaty, there
could be a “sunset clause” included in the legally binding text, which
is expected to be published in about two weeks. That clause would allow
the text on the border to become obsolete if a better alternative for
“regulatory alignment” across the border is found.

Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy again called for a broad alliance across
Ireland to support special status for the North, which he said is now a
“live project”.

“It has been evident for anyone who has examined this matter that the
only way in which a hardening of the Irish border can be avoided is for
all of Ireland to remain part of the single market and customs union,”
he said.

“Anything less risks the imposition of border controls and the
undermining of the Good Friday Agreement – it is therefore now time for
all Irish political parties and the Irish government to unite in
pursuing that goal.”

An official report for the British government found that the North’s
economy faces a potential 12% hit as a result of Brexit. But the East
Antrim DUP MP Sammy Wilson has repeated the unionist and Tory hard line
that Brexit must come at any cost and said the “gloves are off”.

“The blackmailing burghers from Brussels and the cheap political
opportunists in Dublin must meet a tough UK government response,” he
wrote. “In these negotiations, if the gloves are off, it is time we
went into the fray with a no surrender attitude.”

Sinn Fein’s outgoing leader Gerry Adams expressed concern at the
developing standoff and urged more clarity to what he described as the
“fudge” which was negotiated in December.

“The Irish government must urgently seek clarification from the EU
negotiating team on the current state of play with the British,” he
said.

“Specifically, we need to know if the legal language of the draft
agreement will support the North remaining within the single market and
customs union; if the Irish government will support that position; and
will it refuse to accept, as was agreed in December, that there will be
no hard border?

“The Irish government must also demand that the British government
spell out what measures it plans to put in place to ensure that full
regulatory alignment is put in place.”

ADAMS: ‘I DID MY BEST’

Posted by Jim on

As he prepares to hand over the reins to Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Fein
president Gerry Adams has been giving interviews and facing a welter of
last-minute criticism from of his political opponents.

He says his legacy is not an issue which he has concerned himself with,
because he believes he did the best he could.

“I don’t mind. If I thought about it very deeply those people who
detest me will continue to detest me. Those people who admire me will
continue to admire me.

“All I did in the course of the job, I was doing my best. And I think
that is all we can do. I am satisfied I have done my best,” he said.

Much of the media commentary has been speculation about Mr Adams
involvement with the IRA, something he has always denied.

Mr Adams said he first began peace efforts with Catholic priest Father
Alec Reid as far back as 1976 and 1977, several years before he became
the leader of Sinn Fein.

But it was not until 1988 that Fr Reid mediated Mr Adams’ dialogue with
the then SDLP leader John Hume, which led to the IRA ceasefire six
years later.

Mr Adams has said he regrets that it took until 1994 for the first IRA
ceasefire, but accused others of hiding behind a “subterfuge” of moral
denunciations to avoid dialogue.

“I regret the fact anyone was killed, particularly those who were
killed by the IRA. Of course I do,” he said. “All victims deserve the
truth and justice and their families deserve that.

“People will judge me whatever way they want to judge me and I accept
that. I have been very moved by the generosity and grace of some people
who were really hurt in the conflict.

“That has been quite inspirational, to meet people who were prepared to
set aside that hurt for the common good. What we all have to do is make
sure it never happens again.”

He said that when he and Mr Hume eventually met in 1988 they “did what
is just the imperative, the primacy of any process (which) is to talk,
to listen.”

“And out of that came the Hume/Adams principles,” he added.

Mr Adams criticised past British prime ministers who refused to talk to
Sinn Fein during the conflict and called them “the stupid ones.”

“Probably the toughest (prime ministers to deal with) were the stupid
ones who wouldn’t talk.

“If you consider that I was an elected official along with others and
other elected officials wouldn’t talk to us and the British prime
ministers handed over the future … to generals, to military bosses,
to people who brought in collusion, internment, shoot to kill and all
the rest of it and just militarised the situation with all the awful
consequences of that.”

Mr Adams said that John Major had the chance to help bring peace to the
north but failed to do so, while Tony Blair seized the opportunity
“with both hands”.

Mr Adams also said the idea of Irish unity has become more prevalent
since Britain decided to leave the European Union. Mr Adams said
however that he does not believe a united Ireland is inevitable.

“You have to work for it and you have to convince people. But we now
have a very peaceful and democratic way of achieving it,” he said.

Mr Adams added: “That means persuading people that the best way for all
of us on this island is if we govern ourselves. Why do we want English
people to govern us? Why do we want anybody but ourselves to govern
us?”

He said that at the “very core” of Irish unity was “uniting orange and
green.”

“(It’s) about harmony and peace between those two big traditions. And
as we become more multicultural it is also about making space for all
of those other folks out there who wouldn’t be part of the orange and
green tradition. It is about trying to build a tolerant, respectful,
citizens based, rights centred society,” said Mr Adams.

When asked how he would judge himself, Mr Adams replied: “To tell you
the truth, I haven’t thought of that.

“I am a very good dancer, I sing extremely well, I am a half-decent
cook, I have written a wee bit, I like walking, but I’m comfortable in
my own skin and I am surrounded by some wonderful people, a great
family, my wife, people who love me.

“The most important thing in life is friendship and the most important
thing you can give to anyone is time. So I am blessed with friends and
all this time,” he said.

Mr Adams added that he also felt “blessed” to still be alive, having
survived a number of assassination attempts.

“I have escaped a number of attempts to kill me and so on. I have been
blessed by some very incompetent assassins, so there are lots of good
things in life,” he said.

Thousands of Sinn Fein delegates are gathering today at the RDS in
Dublin to acclaim of Dublin Central TD Ms McDonald as his successor.
Sinn Fein’s northern leader, Michelle O’Neill, will also be elevated to
the vice-president position.

Mr Adams is passing on the Sinn Fein presidency after more than 34
years in the post.

AOH NEW YORK STATE FREEDOM for ALL IRELAND BULLETIN

Posted by Jim on

January 2018

MARK THOMPSON -RELATIVES FOR JUSTICE-
AOH TOUR FOR VICTIMS’ FAMILIES

Mark Thompson ended a weeklong emergency American tour which generated a new Congressional initiative, five public events and formal proclamations of support by the New York State Senate, Assembly and local governments. Sponsored by the New York State Board Ancient Order of Hibernians, the tour brought together other Irish American organizations, and commitments to help Relatives for Justice and the victims they represent break the deadlock on legacy truth.

The emergency tour was an AOH response to crown moves to give British troopers and constabulary an amnesty, while denying Inquest Courts and Ombudsmen investigators needed funding. Mark Thompson made an emergency appeal for American help, noting that the AOH and Irish-American grassroots had been a driving force behind every American initiative for Irish justice.

Before his first public meeting, Mr. Thompson held the first of several pre- arranged telephone briefings, beginning with Congressman Richard Neal’s office. These briefings would climax in a meeting with Congressman Joe Crowley and a proposal for a new Congressional initiative to support legacy victims.

SUFFOLK
Mark Thompson’s first public address took place at the Suffolk County AOH Hall, in Babylon, Long Island, hosted by New York State AOH President Victor Vogel. AOH officers including Past State President Jim Burke, Suffolk County President Jerry Belmont and Nassau County President Pete Begley packed the hall, alongside relatives of legacy victims. Chris Thompson of the Suffolk County Brehon Law Society, and noted MacBride Principles campaigner Patrick Doherty, now with New York State Comptroller DiNapoli’s office, also attended. Here RFJ received the first of many legislative Proclamations of support for its work, sponsored by New York State Senator Phil Boyle.

New York Freedom-for-all-Ireland Chair, Martin Galvin noted:

“the phrase to get away with murder was literally true of British policy. British crown forces, or their paid agents who colluded and carried out murders, were shielded. Now as Relatives for Justice threatens to use British justice mechanisms to get truth for these victims, the British are starving their own courts, inquest judges and Ombudsman investigations of funding while moving towards pardons dressed up as statutes of limitations.”

MANDATED BY FAMILIES

Mark Thompson began by saying that “Relatives for Justice was mandated to represent hundreds of families in the north whose loved ones, were not alone murdered but then slandered to justify their murders”. He pointed in the audience to relatives of Maura Meehan and Dorothy Maguire, killed by British troops in Belfast in 1971,and to relatives of John Boyle, shot by British SAS troops in 1978.He detailed the circumstances of these killings and the legal cover-up which followed, to explain how the British mistreated hundreds of families .

He said, “now as families get near truth after years pushing against a wall of deceit, the British want to use amnesties and a funding cut-off to lock the door on justice. Victims’ families want(a)no amnesty pardons for British forces,(b)funding for legacy inquests and Ombudsman inquiries, and (c implementation of the legacy mechanisms agreed at Stormont House in 2015”.

He quoted an expression that “when America sneezes Britain catches a cold and we want Irish America to sicken the British with demands for legacy justice”.

MANHATTAN

The next night, Mr. Thompson spoke in mid-town Manhattan at an event co-hosted by Queens, Brooklyn, New York and Bronx AOH.
The crowd included, AOH national officers Jere Cole, Sean Pender Dan Dennehy Jeff Nisler and Tom Beirne, State President Vic Vogel and Treasurer John Manning. Special thanks to Walter Cooper , Jim Sullivan, back from Florida and Parade Committee Chairman Denis McCarthy. Hibernians were joined by Jennifer Frankola of the Brehon Law Society, and Leslie Cassidy of the Irish American Unity Conference.

Here RFJ received a State Assembly Proclamation of support sponsored by Assemblyman Dinowitz and a Bronx Borough Proclamation presented on behalf of the Borough President by Gabriel and Patricia Megahey, friends of long time Bronx resident Liam Ryan. David Tubiolo presented a Proclamation from Westchester County. These Proclamations made special note of RFJ’s work for this American citizen, murdered in his native Tyrone.

This time Mr. Thompson pointed to Malachy McAllister, the proprietor of the Wolfe Tone Pub, who escaped an assassination attempt in Belfast, at the hands of British agents as well as the killing of Liam Ryan in Arboe County Tyrone. He explained the facts of these cases, how the British hid the truth and appealed for AOH and American help.

ROCKLAND

Mark Thompson then traveled to Rockland County for an event at the Hibernian House, arranged by Dermot Moore and co-chaired by Vincent Tyer and John McGowan.

Again Mr. Thompson met relatives and friends of victims killed by crown forces or crown agents. A cousin of Sam Marshall and friends of Rory and Gerard Cairns were in the audience. Mark Thompson started with an explanation of these killings as well as recent developments in the Loughall inquests. He used these specific cases to illustrate, the obstacles that the British have used to stonewall the families in the battle for truth.

One of the most emotional moments came when one relative asked whether the British would ever allow truth about these murders.
Mr. Thompson replied that “the families will never give up, have gained a lot of progress that once seemed impossible and it is important that RFJ and Irish America never give up supporting them”.

The event also included presentation of a Rockland County Legislature Resolution of support by Vincent Tyer, donations to RFJ and was attended by Past National President Brendan Moore.

CONGRESS

Before traveling to Albany, Mark Thompson detoured to Queens and a formal meeting with Congressman Joe Crowley. He was accompanied by AOH members Sean Pender, Bob Nolan, Dermot Moore and Martin Galvin. Here Congressman Crowley agreed to lead a formal Congressional sign-on letter to the British government.

Mr. Thompson then headed to Albany and the AOH Hall in Albany where the prestigious Fr. Murphy award was presented to Ciaran Geraghty, Past NYS FFAI Chair by past State President Tim McSweeney. The event was co-chaired by Dolores Desch and John Levandosky, with National Director Liam McNabb as Master of Ceremonies, State President Vic Vogel piping the dignitaries in and State Vice-President Tom Lambert among a host of State and National officers in attendance.

Here Mark Thompson explained that it was the anniversary of the murder of his brother Peter Thompson. The Thompson family had been laughed at, then threatened when they tried to find out the truth. He explained that that murder, that cover-up and that injustice was the driving force which had motivated him to help form and lead Relatives for Justice, and why he felt so deeply about other families put through the same grief.

PEEKSILL

Mark Thompson’s final public event at the Quiet Man Pub, Peekskill hosted by National Director Dan Dennehy, FFAI Chair Bob Bolbach, County President Brian Duffy, District Director Aidan O’Kelly Lynch and Division President Clive Cronin. Here Mark Thompson said he was overwhelmed at by support he had received night after night, from Irish America and the AOH. He noted again how grassroots Irish-America had spearheaded every initiative to help victims of British rule that had come from America. He found everywhere he had spoken, a tremendous willingness indeed desire to help. He said he victims’ families will be encouraged by the groundswell of support he found in America.

State President Vic Vogel then presented Mr. Thompson with a special plaque, memorializing the five tour events where Mr. Thompson spoke. The State President, who had authorized the tour attended multiple events as did National officers, Jere Cole, Sean Pender and Dan Dennehy.

ISSUES UPDATE

A-New British colonial secretary had never been in six counties
British Prime Minister Theresa May appointed Karen Bradley to succeed James Brokenshire to preside over the six counties. Bradley had never even visited the north of Ireland before her appointment. Now she will preside over talks to restore Stormont power sharing despite her lack of interest, much less knowledge of Irish issues. She named former British trooper Kris Hopkins, as a Special Policy Advisor (Spad).Hopkins had survived IRA attacks in Belfast and South Armagh. The appointment was criticized by Mark Thompson of RFJ, who said the selection was made as the “Tory/DUP alliance seeks to push an amnesty for British soldiers through Parliament.”

B-UVF Commander and British Agent Gary Haggerty gets minimum sentence for 5 murders and 202 terror crimes

Former Ulster Volunteer Force loyalist killer and British informer Gary Haggarty, received a sentence in Belfast Crown Court that will free him for a new life under the PSNI/MI5.
The original sentence of 75 years for 5 muders,23 conspiracy to murder and 4 kidnapping counts among 202 terror offenses was reduced to six and one half, allowing Haggarty to walk free to his new life almost immediately. Among the murder victims was grandfather Sean McParland, shot dead in front of his children
two Catholic workman eating lunch on the job, Eamon Fox and Gary Convie, Sean McDermott and John Harbison. Fox’s son Kieran said he was “gutted” by the sentenc. “The man is a serial killer. He was a paid State informer. The RUC knew he was killing at will and let it continue.”

C- Free Tony Taylor calls after 700 days Interned by License
Derry Republican Tony Taylor has now spent over 700 days imprisoned in Maghaberry by order of British secretaries despite repeated calls for his release or due process. Mr. Taylor,a respected Derry Republican was jailed under procedures described as Internment-by-License. He served a sentence for possession of a weapon but was then jailed based on secret information that the British refuse to release to him or his lawyer for defense.

D-Battle to Ban Irish flag from St. Patrick’s Day Parades
While Irish flags are proudly carried around the world and in most of Ireland in St. Patrick’s Day Parades, an announcement was made that the Irish flag would be banned in the strongly Republican town of Strabane on the West Tyrone-Donegal border.
A spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council
announced that the Council wanted a “cross-community” event that would be inclusive and promote reconciliation by banning flags.
When Independent Republican Councillor Paul Gallagher protested, he was told that Irish flags have long been excluded from St. Patrick’s Day Parades in Derry, Belfast, Newry and Downpatrick.
Councillor Gallagher challenged the ban at a Council meeting and is asking why British flags can be flown in events funded by unionist dominated councils but Irish flags can be excluded.
In Strabane the ban on Irish flags may rescinded but uncertainty continues as well as the status of the ban in Derry and Newry.
Special Thanks With Apologies

Brothers I want to thank each of you who helped make the Mark Thompson tour so successful. This tour through the events and publicity in Irish-American papers has gotten a great response, not only from those who attended, or read about it, but perhaps most important from the victims’ families in Ireland who welcome our AOH backing in their fight for truth and justice. We are now working on a Congressional letter and other initiatives including ideas for additional tours.

I apologize to everyone whose name is not included.

Please contact me at MGALVINESQ@AOL.COM

Slan,

MARTIN GALVIN

Radio Free Eireann- Saturday -February 10, 2018

Posted by Jim on

Special Pledge Programming 12noon-2pm

RADIO FREE EIREANN will broadcast a special two hour Pledge Program  this Saturday February 10th on WBAI Radio 99.5FM or WBAI.ORG at 12 noon-2pm New York time or 5pm-7pm in Ireland or anytime after the program on WBAI.ORG   Archives

Author,retired fireman and  story teller  BILLY O’CONNOR will talk about his latest book “Da Mick”  taking  a humorous look at being a New York City Fireman  when the Bronx was burning in the 1970s.
Donors who pledge to support the program will get a copy of the book.

LORRAINE TAYLOR,will talk about her husband TONY TAYLOR, a Derry Republican who has now spent more than 700 days Interned -by-license , jailed on British charges  kept secret from him or or any solicitor picked by him.

While Irish flags and “England Out of Ireland” banners are a feature of St. Patrick’s Day Parades in New York,  Independent Irish Republican Councillor PAUL GALLAGHER, will give a quick update on last week’s story of British attempts to ban Irish flags from St. Patrick’s Day Parades.

JOHN FAY the creator and moderator of NUZHOUND,the daily collection of articles on the north of Ireland  will explain why that service may have to close down..

John McDonagh and Martin Galvin co-host.

Official Communication from the UFA

Posted by Jim on February 9, 2018