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.....
" In welcoming also the release of the South African freedom fighters I must point out , as I did at our Ard-Fheis two years ago , that Nelson Mandela and all his comrades could have been released many years ago , if they signed a pledge rejecting the use of physical force. That they still refuse to do so and they deserve our applause for their admirable adherence to principle that will bring them victory . No "working the system" there !
Our members were active at the end of 1988 in mobilising public support throughout the country against Britain's attempt to have Fr.Paddy Ryan extradited from Belgium and subsequently from the 26-County state. We pointed out that the making permanent of political extradition on December 6th - 67 years to the day after the signing of the partition Treaty - by the Fianna Fáil administration would make Mr Charles Haughey Britain's principal agent in Ireland.
This total collaboration by the 26-County neo-colonial state recognises Britain's 'right' to be in Ireland and betrays the right of the Irish people to self-determination without interference by any outside power - the same right recognised by France and Belgium who have recently given more protection to Irish citizens than Mr Haughey . Mrs. Thatcher's objective in signing the Hillsborough Security Pact -the securing of a client state in the south of Ireland prepared to hand over even its own citizens to an occupying power - had been achieved. "
(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.)
A garda with intimate knowledge of the John Corcoran affair said to 'Magill' on the evening of Monday December 8th , that "...it is well known within the gardaí that someone had been sacrificed for the greater good.." . He said that Corcoran's 'handler' failed to appreciate the significance of information that was being sent up from Corcoran to garda headquarters. " Corcoran was reporting on Sean O' Callaghan's movements. Certain safeguards should have been taken [at garda headquarters] . It should have seen a possible conflict and pulled back."
He said that Corcoran's garda 'handler' was "...truly shocked by what happened.." and said that the 'handler' was not contacted for several days after Corcoran's body was found and that this was " highly unusual."
"This whole thing [the story about the murder* of John Corcoran] is very dangerous and they [the gardaí] will do anything to stop it...."
(MORE LATER).
TRADE UNIONS AND THE HUNGER-STRIKE.From 'IRIS' magazine, November 1981.
The resolution was recently explained to this magazine by Philip Flynn : " The section of that resolution which applies most directly to the present hunger-strike , basically states that deprivation of liberty is sufficient punishment for any 'crime' , and that the prison regime which obtains subsequent to a person's incarceration should be as conclusive as possible to a dignified and humane existence for prisoners and warders.
This resolution encompasses the spirit of the five demands of the protesting prisoners and was understood , at the time it was being carried , by all involved as a statement of principle in relation to the then two-year-old struggle against criminalisation . The debate was also greatly influenced by the murder of Brian Maguire.
Brian Maguire was a prominent Belfast activist in the AUEW/TASS, a British-based white collar trade union for people working in the engineering industry - the Irish section of which has a left-wing tradition . In May 1978 , Brian Maguire was taken to Castlereagh torture centre for interrogation about the shooting of an RUC man.......
(MORE LATER).
