Dublin Volunteer remembered

Pat Doherty MP speaks at Vol. Pat Cannon commemoration

A large crowd of Dublin republicans assembled at Darndale on the northside of the city, on Saturday 16 July for the Annual Pat Cannon commemoration. Cannon, a Volunteer with Oglaigh na hÉireann, was killed with his comrade Peter McElcar from Donegal in a premature explosion near Castlederg on the Donegal/Tyrone border in 1976.

The commemoration parade made its way to the old graveyard at Balgriffin led by the Dublin Martyrs Memorial Band.

Proceedings at Balgriffin were chaired by Howth Sinn Féin representative Bernie Quinn. Following the laying of wreaths and a minute's silence, Quinn introduced Dublin City Councillor Larry O'Toole who paid tribute to local republicans for maintaining the republican struggle in this part of Dublin during hard times. O'Toole said that Sinn Féin was a now a major political force in Dublin Northeast with two sitting city councillors, himself and Councillor Killian Forde, and the party was in a strong position to contest for a seat in the next General Election.

The main speaker of the day was Sinn Féin Vice President and MP for West Tyrone Pat Doherty. Doherty recalled the day that Patrick Cannon was killed in 1976 and other events of the time. He recalled also the Garda harassment of mourners attending Cannon's funeral and the atmosphere of repression that pervaded the country. He also mentioned the huge support that was evident at Cannon's funeral and the warm welcome he and other republicans from Donegal had received in the city at the time. He said the republican struggle was in the strong position it is today because of the sacrifice of the Volunteers of Oglaigh na héireann such as Pat Cannon.

Regarding the current deliberations within the ranks of Oglaigh na hÉireann, Doherty said that whatever the IRA was going to say or do, there would be a major responsibility on Sinn Féin activists to carry forward the struggle for a 32-County democratic socialist republic.