Easter Statement from the Republican Movement Cork

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Saturday April 19, 2014 23:10 by Seán Ó Murchú - Sinn Féin Poblachtach - Cork

ON this the 98th anniversary of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic the Republican Movement Cork sends greetings to members, supporters and friends assembled at the graves and monuments of our patriot dead.

ON this the 98th anniversary of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic the Republican Movement Cork sends greetings to members, supporters and friends assembled at the graves and monuments of our patriot dead.

In particular we salute and send special greetings to all Republican POW’s incarcerated as a result of their faith in and loyalty to the All-Ireland Republic.
We also take this opportunity to send greetings to the revolutionary women of Cumann Na mBan whose members are represented here in this there centenary year.

In the past year we have lost Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, a man that was a major figure within the Republican Movement since the 1950s.
In recent weeks we have witnessed the state visit of the 26 County president Mr. Higgins to England as a follow up to the 2011 state visit by the English Queen to the 26 Counties – this was and is intended to normalize the continued attempt at Britain’s rule in Ireland and put the seal on the current sell-out of the Six Counties.

In two years the centenary of the 1916 Rising will be on us and the intention of the 26 county state-let is clear. They want the commemoration of 1916 to be combined with those of British forces involved in the imperial First World War and invite British Government and Royal participation.

With the summer approaching the opportunity to view the occupied part of Ireland is again been promoted by the British funded ‘Northern Ireland Tourist Board’ the so-called, “Discover Northern Ireland” campaign.

Slogans such as “it’s only a few miles up the road” are uttered in a campaign that portrays the Occupied area of Ireland as being a separate country.

It does not mention it’s an artificially partitioned area carved out by an illegal occupation.

It is efforts like these that try to continue and normalize foreign occupation and partition of our country through marketing and putting through that WE as a SOVERIGN NATIONAL PEOPLE are not resisting.

This idea that the occupation of the north of Ireland makes it’s a separate country, a separate entity, is UNTRUE
Republicans resist these attempts.

The media from the occupying power and the two illegal state-lets barrages us on OUR Island ‘IRELAND’, that somehow since 1998 all is OK… that Peace and goodwill to all prevails.

The English military occupation of Ireland, in all its manifestations never was and never will be normal.

Just speak to visitors on our shores from countries all across the globe.

They will tell you of the tours they pay vast sums of money for, the trips around Derry, Belfast etc., to take photos of murals and told stories of “The Troubles” since passed or so they are led to believe.

However no highlight of the root cause of the conflict is ever mentioned and revisionist theories of the peace process are instead sold to the 3 million plus visitors a year.

Ireland’s past means more, than using it to prostitute the occupied areas history to bolster a tourist boards coffers. It is a history, which we know and others should learn from, so as not to repeat the same cycle again.

Depressingly however this is not happening and the same conditions remain in place. This is the reality not told to the visitors who come, and given the notion “the bad old days” have been and gone.

However history tells us whilst the idea of Occupation of Ireland remains and is forced upon us this is not the case.

We do not seek to Discover our country; we want it free once and for all.

As is usual in the last 12 months members and supporters were subjected to continued harassment, arrests and false imprisonment on both sides of the border.

This is something that we have come to accept, and is a clear indication to everyone that nothing has changed, regardless of what many might think.
In the past twelve months Republican Sinn Féin Cumann and members in Cork, Belfast, Newry, Drogheda, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny have been ostracized and dismissed.

The Republican Movement Cork in the 1940’s and late 1960’s has been here.

But listen clearly True Republicans have experienced such treatment before and our message is clear: we will not be intimidated or derailed from our continued resistance to British Occupation, nor our allegiance to the all Ireland Republic by anyone including a misguided Republican Sinn Féin leadership in Dublin.

A leadership who chose to recognize, pay fines and accept the ruling of an English Crown Court and are considering taking complaints to the 26 County Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. All this is the start of the slippery slope to recognizing and full participation in the two illegal state-lets on this island of ours - IRELAND

Due to the treachery of others our struggle faces greater obstacles than before, but we are aware that there has always been a significant body of opinion in Ireland opposed to British Rule.

The task of the Republican movement Cork in the immediate future is to organize, harness and lead that support in opposition to foreign rule in the occupied area and English Imperialism.

For this purpose we re-dedicate ourselves this Easter Sunday.

So make an effort, honour those who took a step that this generation is trying to complete.

Don't leave it for our children.

Together we will, it can be achieved.

Together in Continuity

An Phoblacht Abú!



- Issued by the Republican Movement Cork, Easter 2014.