Gathering Forces in Bundoran

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday September 01, 2009 16:43 by Seami Mc Dermott

Huge Turn-out in Bundoran Co. Donegal for Hunger Strike Commemoration, Saturday 29th August 2009. Event organised by Republican Sinn Féin. 100's attended. It was as large as the Provisional Sinn Féin (PSF) Easter event in Drumboe, Co. Donegal. This shows the growth of Republicanism and is another indicator of the continuing decline of PSF.

I have been attending this event for a number of years and must comment that this was the biggest event in years. There was a recognisably larger crowd of young people at this years event. One Republican at the event described the it as like the handing over to a new generation of Republicans - with Joe O'Neill and Ruairi O Bradaigh in attendance - but playing a supporting role to the young turks now taking the helm of radical Republicanism, Brendan Casey and Stephen Daly etc.

Interesting times to see the growth of this commemoration and the sentiments it expresses - questioning/opposing of the "peace process". People will be trying to link the recesssion to a radicalising of people, which may play a part, however, the Republican base remains intact and has not gone away. Many within this community simply see the leadership of Provisional Sinn Fein has having gone away from Republicanism. That political party are now moribound within the six counties and tied to administering British rule there for the foreseeable future.

Which brings us to the statement posed by Pádraig Pearse in 1915 at the graveside of O' Donavan Rossa, where he declared "They think they have bribed half of us and intimidated the other half, but the fools the fools the fools, they have left us Ireland's Patriot dead and while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland Unfree shall never be at peace"

Can we avoid history repeating itself? I think that perhaps in order to avoid the endless repeating of history Provisional Sinn Fein and the other nationalist parties in this country should revisit the project of a Unitied Ireland because without it I believe and sadly history shows, conflict is inevitable.

If any of the provo leadership have any ounce of Republicanism left in them, pushed down to the bottom of their psyche, they should raise their hands and say "we went wrong, we're sorry!". But some how I think their positions in power and their egos will stop them!

Well done to all the organisers. A brilliant day out.

As Tom Barry once put it, "As sure as night turns to day and day to night, unless the British remove their military presence and their ADMINISTRATION then conflict is inevitable".