Posted by Jim on February 27, 2013
To : Parole Commissioners for Northern Ireland
From: Brendan Moore National President: Ancient Order of Hibernians USA
February 26, 2013
The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), America’s largest Irish organization, adds it voice to the scores of other organizations, elected officials and citizens from throughout the world in calling for the immediate release of Marian Price. The AOH is a staunch supporter of the full implementation of the Good Friday agreement and believes that all people in the North of Ireland have the right to peace, truth and justice.
As members of the Parole Commissioners for Northern Ireland you have the ability to address once and for all the severe injustice that the current legal system has administered to Ms. Price. Based on criteria related to humanitarian and justice grounds there is no justification to deny her parole request. If you are what your board claims to be “an independent body” you need to exhibit that independence and grant parole to Ms. Price.
Ms Price’s medical condition is well known; she is gravely ill, frail, weak and of no possible danger to anyone. Based on your own judgment criteria that if at ‘the end of the hearing, … the panel is satisfied that the level of risk the prisoner poses is no more than minimal, then it is required by law to direct that the prisoner should be released” The board of commissioners needs to go no further than its own established criteria and therefore solely for humanitarian reasons release Ms. Price immediately.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians in America request that you grant parole to Ms. Marian Price.
Posted by Jim on February 26, 2013
The Breezy Point Catholic Club Pipes and Drums
Lost equipment and uniforms.
If you would like to make a contribution to the
Band, please mail donations to:
Terrence F. Williams – Pipe Major
204-25 9th Ave.
Breezy Point, NY 11697
breezypiper@aol.com
checks payable to: The Breezy Point Catholic Club Pipes and Drums
Posted by Jim on February 22, 2013
County Fermanagh.Northern Ireland. Friday, February 22, 2013 – Marian Price was today visited by Fr. Sean Mc Manus, President of the Washington-based Irish National Caucus. He spent ninety minutes with her, accompanied by her husband Jerry Mc Glinchey and her attorney Peter Corrigan.
Fr. Mc Manus said: I have been raising Marian’s case with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Congress, and I wanted to visit her to show both personal and Irish-American solidarity. My heart was broken and my soul outraged by how this heroic Irishwoman has been treated. This seriously ill, lovely, soft-spoken woman should not be in prison. Her persecution – yes, persecution – makes a mockery of the Irish peace-process, questions the whole judicial system, and raises doubt as to whether there has, indeed, been a “ new beginning” to policing in Northern Ireland. Surely Peter Robinson, Martin Mc Guinness, David Ford and the NI Secretary of State must know that there is something rotten with their government’s treatment of Marian.”
Fr. Mc Manus added : “ I was so impressed that despite all the inhumane treatment and judicial misconduct, Marian has maintained her dignity and self-respect.”
He concluded: “ When Peter Robinson and Martin Mc Guinness come to Washington for their annual St. Patrick’s Day visit, the hard truth will be this: No matter how nice or encouraging their words, their message will be overshadowed by their government’s treatment of Marian. Her cruel mistreatment will mock their words, telling Washington there is still something rotten in Northern Ireland.”
END
Fr. Sean Mc Manus
President
Irish National Caucus
P.O. BOX 15128
Capitol Hill
Washington, DC 20003-0849
Tel. 202-544-0568
Fax. 202-488-7537
sean@irishnationalcaucus.org
Posted by Jim on February 16, 2013
Irish community activists in Britain have sought high-level political discussions following an increase in attacks on Irish events by far-right organisations and loyalists.
On Monday, Cairde na hEireann Liverpool met with that city’s Mayor and senior officials to ask that the rights of the Irish community to hold lawful, dignified and peaceful public events be upheld and protected.
And this week in Wakefield, a small town in west Yorkshire made famous by the hunger strike of Irish martyr Frank Stagg, a dignified republican commemoration was beset a small group of flag-wielding loyalists, with little protection from the Yorkshire police.
Similar problems have been encountered by Irish events and organisations across England and Scotland. But it is Liverpool’s Irish community which has been particularly targeted by right-wing British extremists, through openly racist and intimidatory confrontations.
In a statement, Cairde na hEireann Liverpool said on Monday the attacks had been “an attempt drive the Irish community off the streets of Liverpool.
“They have also been aimed at preventing the expression of Irish culture and our community’s right to commemorate Liverpool-Irish history and honour the memory of such historical figures such as James Larkin and the Liverpool-Irish volunteers who fought fascism in Spain.”
The details of the attacks were published in a recent report by the community group, which has a proud history of involvement in the local anti-racist and anti-fascist struggle.
The report, ‘Under Pressure’, provides an account of recent anti-Irish racism in Liverpool, linking it to a history of institutional racism and far-right and Loyalist activity in the city.
Last July saw a so-called “anti-IRA” march in Liverpool by hardline English Defence League splinter group the North West Infidels (NWI), a far-right street protest movement.
It was planned in response to a march organised by the left-wing James Larkin Society to counter the rise in far-right activity targeting Muslims, trade unionists and Irish republican groups living in the north of England. The event had nothing to do with the IRA.
And this time last year, in scenes unseen since the 80s, hardline British nationalists stopped a march commemorating Liverpool-born Republican Sean Phelan and racially abused marchers. It is feared the same scenes could be repeated in upcoming events.
A number of news publications have also documented the increased links between loyalists and far-right racist groups such as the North West Infidels, Combined Ex-forces, English Defence League and the National Front.
The rhetoric of groups like the English Defence League uses the recycled racism of the 1980s when the National Front and British Movement would stage “anti-IRA” marches as an excuse to attack and intimidate Irish immigrants.
When BBC screened a documentary about Irish rappers, anti-Irish prejudice quickly surfaced on social networks:
“Irish rappers on bbc three!? Give it a rest, f**k off back to the fiddle and flute you potato eating chumps!”
“Irish rappers!!…potato famine has resulted in some damage chromosomes me thinks”
Meanwhile, first and second-generation Irish journalists have also spoken out about what is known in England as “Paddy-bashing” or “Catholic-bashing”.
In blog posts, they have written about an “unspoken rule” that “Irish people are white, so discriminating against them can’t be racist”.
Posted by Jim on
Besides the Irish Volunteer (IV) and the Irish Citizen Army (ICA) a third organisation, the Cumann na mBan, me…aning League of Women, secured a substantial influence and considerable support in the build-up to the Easter Rising. In contrast with the other organisations the Cumann na mBan preserved its position after the Rebellion of 1916 and it is probably because of the existence of the League of Women that the struggle for independence continued after the disastrous revolt.
It is incorrect to assume that Irish women were not involved in the republican movement prior to the founding of the Cumann na mBan in 1914 by Countess Constance Markievicz, Agnes O’Farrelly and Mary MacSwiney. In the contrary, women provided shelter to rebels on the run, nursed the wounded and proved to be very suitable couriers of weapons and manifests. In the course of the years these tasks passed from mother to daughter. Irish women literally learned these tasks at their mother’s knee. Despite their important role the activities of women took place in the background, far off the front stage where men occupied the traditional male areas such as politics and physical combat. The Cumann na mBan claimed a more prominent role for women in the republican movement.
Initially the Cumann na mBan was subservient to the Irish Volunteer (IV), but soon the organisation gained more independence. Nevertheless at top level the Irish Volunteer (IV), and at a later stage the Irish Republican Army (IRA), remained superior over the top of the Cumann na mBan.
At the same time James Connolly, who is described as a thorough feminist in every respect, attracted women and members of Cumann na mBan also joined the Irish Citizen Army (ICA) or were involved in the trade unions.
Easter Rising.
The Easter Lily.