Friday, May 21, 2010

CABHAIR ANNUAL TESTIMONIAL DINNER AND REPUBLICAN REUNION 2010.



Going back to at least the early 1970’s , the Republican Movement, and supportive and affiliated organisations , have come together each year to choose a handful of individuals who are deemed suitable emissaries to represent all that Irish Republicanism stands for and that which it seeks to obtain. Having decided on the best honorees possible , a Dinner , Dance and Reunion is held to properly convey the Movement’s appreciation to those people. And that pleasurable task has been undertaken this year , too -
On Saturday May 22nd 2010 , four Irish Republicans will be honoured at a CABHAIR function to be held for them in Dublin , in the Academy Plaza Hotel, at which a Presentation will be made to each of them. Those four notable Stalwarts of Irish Republicanism are : Paul Stanley (Leinster) , Leo Martin (Ulster), Bart Gormley (Connacht) and Pádraig Mac Mathúna (USA).
This blog extends warmest ‘Congrats!’ to those Honorees , and we hope to have a representative present on the night to record proceedings. Well Done to ye all -
Ni Seoinini Sinn Go Leir !
(Last year’s CABHAIR Testimonial Dinner can be viewed here.)
Thanks!
Sharon.






Wednesday, May 19, 2010


Aitheasc an Uachtaráin Ruairí Ó Brádaigh don 85ú Ard-Fheis de Shinn Féin in Óstlann an Spa , Leamhcán , Co. Atha Cliath , 21ú agus 22ú Deireadh Fómhair , 1989 /
Presidential Address of Ruairí Ó Brádaigh to the 85th Ard-Fheis of Sinn Féin in the Spa Hotel , Lucan , County Dublin , 21st and 22nd October 1989.....


"The mind boggles at an administration which bails out a private company by restricting the future growth possibilities of a state company in which all Irish taxpayers are the shareholders. Perhaps Aer Lingus will have to start paying secret party contributions just as it seems a weak-kneed RTE management now apologise to a State Minister for having the cheek to ask him something every citizen has a right to know - in case there might be another attempt to favour private 26-County administration backers when the valuable cable television franchises are up for grabs ?

Have Fianna Fáil and their friends not done enough already to undermine RTE , a respected national broadcasting network - in spite of its yielding to official Section 31 censorship - in a stampede towards a sham 'independent' broadcasting whose only real result to date has been a decline in standards all round.

Gerry Collins is on record as being proud of the censorship provisions which he first introduced against RTE. Mrs. Thatcher is even prouder of the fact that in the area of broadcasting as well as other 'law and order' areas, she is able to quote the Irish precedent when she wants to clip the wings of the BBC and ITN and limit in other ways the various provisions of the sham democracy with her 37% of the popular vote, throughout the 'UK' - not to mention the "no contest" situation which prevails in the Six Counties......."

(MORE LATER).





BETRAYAL.......
The (State) Gardaí used John Corcoran (pictured) as a (P)IRA informer. They allowed him to be killed by another (P)IRA informer, and have since refused to investigate his murder*.
From 'MAGILL' magazine, Christmas Annual 1997.
By Ursula Halligan and Vincent Browne.
(* '1169...' Comment - their word, not ours.)

In two of the accounts he gave , Seán O Callaghan says he desperately tried to prevent John Corcoran's death and had pleaded with his garda handler to carry out a raid before the execution could take place. In his interview with the 'Kerryman' newspaper he said he used a submachine-gun to shoot John Corcoran in the head ; but he told the 'Sunday Times' newspaper he had used a Beretta machine pistol.

One of the questions Eileen Corcoran wants answered is whether Seán O Callaghan did in fact send the tape of her husband's confession to her, because she never received it. The mystery of the tape and what happened to it has bothered her since the first time she read about it in the newspapers.

She wonders incessantly if John left a message for her and the children. Did he think of them in his last moments? The wondering and the unanswered questions torment her. " John may have been executed , but every time Seán O Callaghan keeps coming up saying these things he's killing us too, emotionally. It puts a nail in our coffin. I die inside every time I read the way O Callaghan says he killed John. The first time I read his account I was so sick I couldn't eat , I couldn't sleep. It was just after Ursula's death (in 1992)" , she said.
(MORE LATER).




TRADE UNIONS AND THE HUNGER-STRIKE.......
From 'IRIS' magazine, November 1981.



Industrial solidarity ending in substantial strike action is a central part of the National H-Block/Armagh Committee's strategy.

The response to date has been extensive and encouraging. The Committee has the full support of the Republican Movement in this regard , as the ideal aim of the campaign is to secure a general strike which would be a major force in making the British concede.

The ICTU's craven attitude to partition is the major stumbling block preventing that eventuality and must be overcome. Work in that direction is continuing.
[END of 'Trade Unions And The Hunger-Strike']






Monday, May 17, 2010

FIGHT BRITISH CRIMINALISATION OF REPUBLICAN POW's !

Support the Five Demands of the Republican POW's in Maghaberry Jail :
1) Right to free association.
2) End to controlled movement.
3) Right to full-time education.
4) Adequate medical facilities.
5) An end to strip-searching.



Statement from Republican Prisoners, Maghaberry jail -
"Over the past number of years, we the Republican Prisioners in Maghaberry have experienced a continual decline in conditions and a steady increase in oppressive tactics being adopted against ourselves,our families and visitors.

We have encountered a lack of willingness,concern and urgency in our efforts to deal with the system on issues of human rights and moral decency. And now we find ourselves in a position where we can only rely upon our own efforts to highlight the injustices we feel daily. Our concerns of late come with the removal of a Republican prisoner from our wing on the word of the RUC/PSNI with a bogus death threat. Despite guarantees given to the governor, he was still removed.

This curious development comes against a recent incident in which information containing the details of the former governor were planted in the cell occupied by a Republican prisoner. All this at a time when visitors to Republican prisoners are being strip-searched by the RUC/PSNI.

In recent times continuous lockdowns and loss of recreation are becoming more and more common. Searches have also been conducted on our families by the RUC. These lockdowns result in us being locked down in our cells for days at a time with no food, hot water and exercise, showers or contact with our families.

We, the POWs, have also witnessed the attitude of the screws becoming more aggressive with up to five assaults being carried out on Republican prisoners in the last 18 months, all resulted in Republican being charged with assault in an attempt by a corrupt prison regime to cover up what is happening.

The accumulative effect of these grievances and a lack of any other form of redress, lead us to concede the only way to stop these assaults and degrading treatment is protest."


RSF salute action of Republican prisoners-
Statement by Republican Sinn Féin President Des Dalton :


"Republican Sinn Féin salutes the actions of the Republican prisoners in Maghaberry on Easter Sunday and Monday (April 4/5, 2010). Their decisive action in seizing control of part of their wing within the prison exposes the ongoing denial by the British state of political status and basic human rights to political prisoners.
The conditions endured by the prisoners include 23-hour lock-up, physical assault, strip searches and obstruction of visiting rights. The Republican prisoners have also been punished for wearing Easter Lilies – to commemorate the 1916 Rising and all those who have died for Irish freedom- while the British poppy is freely worn and sold in the prison each year.

This campaign to criminalise the Republican prisoners by the British State has even extended to the families of the prisoners. In recent weeks visitors have been forced to endure humiliating searches in order to visit relatives and friends while the drug dogs have been used as a pretext to stop visits – this despite the fact that no drugs have ever been found on either a Republican prisoner or their visitors.

Since 1917, 22 Irish Republicans have died on hunger strike to uphold the right of Republican prisoners to political status. In 1998 this hard fought for right was signed away under the terms of the Stormont Agreement. However the present generation of Republican prisoners in Maghaberry by their resolute action have given a clear signal that ‘England will not brand Ireland’s fight 800 years of crime’."


These men are living in a prison within a prison. A march and rally in support of the Maghaberry POW's will be held in Belfast on Saturday May 29th , 2010, at 2pm. Assemble at Dunville Park for the march to Castle Street.
Support the Republican Prisoners!
Sharon.