Thursday January 01 1970
Sligo May Day Demonstration
sligo |
anti-capitalism |
event notice 
Friday April 28, 2006 20:59
by John Dunne - Connolly Forum
May Day 2006 - International Workers Day, will be celebrated with a commemorative ceremony at the Lynch memorial plaque in New Street, Sligo, on bank holiday Monday the 1st of May at 8.00.p.m.
This year’s event is being organised by the Connolly Forum.
The President of the Connolly Forum, Councillor Declan Bree said that it was appropriate that the ceremony would take place in New Street outside the former home of John Lynch. “John Lynch was a committed socialist and internationalist and was the founder of the modern Labour movement in Sligo. He was a trusted and close colleague of James Connolly and he played a major role in the development of the labour and trade union movement at both a local and national level.
“He led the workers in the famous 1913 Dock Strike in Sligo and organised one of the few units of the Irish Citizen Army established outside Dublin.
“John Lynch was first elected to Sligo Corporation in 1913. He was Mayor of Sligo on three occasions and served the people of this community with distinction until his death in 1939.” said Councillor Bree
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May Day Demonstration Sligo
The proposal by the Government to privatise Aer Lingus is one which must be faced up to and defeated, according to Sligo Labour councillor, Declan Bree.
Cllr Bree says the plan presents a major challenge to the Irish labour and trade union movement and to the Irish people.
He made his comments at a May Day demonstration in New Street in Sligo yesterday, near the former home of the founder of the Sligo labour movement, Alderman John Lynch.
Cllr Bree told those at the demonstration, organised by the Connolly Forum, that the privatisation of Eircom has already proven that the main beneficiaries from such a move will be a few wealthy millionaire speculators.
From OceanFM News May 2nd 2006
http://oceanfm.ie
Its interesting to note that there was no Labour party may day demonstration in Sligo this year. The party always had a demo on may day. Given his history, its obvious that their new blueshirt candidate, McGarry, and the stickies who support him,would find it uncomfortable celebrating may day and carrying the starry plough and red flag around Sligo! It seems that genuine labour people in Sligo (and Leitrim) have forsaken comrade Rabbittes organisation. Its also interesting to note that Bree is the president of the connolly forum
According to the Labour Party website and flyers published by the party there was to be a LabourParty mayday demo in Sligo as part of its Liberty project. It stated that it was being organised by the Labour Party and Sligo Council of Trade Unions. It stated that the speakers and venue had to be confirmed and gave a contact name of Michael Foxe and his phone number. It also stated that the party was to have an annual Easter Sunday commemoration in Sligo cemetery and I dont think that took place either.
I was present at the Connolly Forum May Day demo. It was chaired by Tim Mulcahy. He was a candidate for Labour in the Ballymote area in the last local election. He resigned from the party after Jim McGarry became a member. There were also other people at the demo who I always associated with Labour.
What would the Labour Party do if it held an Easter Commemoration?
In February in the Irish Times, the Deputy Leader of Labour, Lady Wicklow (Liz McManus) called on the Government to commemorate the Brits and the RIC who were killed in the Rising.
Would they have the Tricolour and the Union Jack at half mast while they sing Amhran na bhFiann and God Save the Queen?
In recent years labour have organized a 12th of May ceremony to mark the death of James Connolly. Will Lady Wicklow be organizing a ceremony this year to honour his executioners??
The latest news from Sligo is that Liz MCManus was the guest speaker at a Labour Party public meeting in the City Hotel on the Wednesday of easter week. The main ballroom was booked for the event and the Blueshirt McGarry and the three stickies were there to welcome the masses. Only nine people turned up! This was the same ballroom where almost 150 Labour party members attended a selection convention in November last. How things have changed in the space of 6 months.
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