24 July 2008 Edition
Major mobilisation urged for Derry and Antrim commemoration
THE Annual Counties Derry and Antrim Republican Commemoration will take place in Gulladuff on Sunday, 3 August. The commemorative parade will include marching bands and will assemble at the carpark opposite St. Mary’s Church, Mayogall at 5pm before making its way to the Garden of Remembrance at Ionad Poblachtach Lár Uladh. A senior republican will deliver the main address.
Announcing details of the commemoration, Republican Graves Association co-ordinator and Sinn Féin councillor for the Newbridge/ Ballymaguigan area, Peter Bateson extended a warm invitation to all nationally minded people to attend the event. He extended a special welcome to all the republican ex-prisoners from across the area as well as to young people.
Councillor Bateson said:
“When we remember people who died in the struggle for Irish independence and equality, we shouldn’t think of them as just names of long lost heroes. We have to remember them for who they were. Here in this small area, icons of republicanism emerged. The very mention of their names continues to inspire many people and struggles throughout the world. Many of us were lucky enough to have known such amazing people, not just as comrades, but as friends.
“It is important to remember to our deceased comrades and to extend continuing solidarity and support to the families of all our patriot dead. Those republicans listed in the Garden of Remembrance in Gulladuff were ordinary people forced into an extraordinary situation imposed on them by centuries of vicious British colonialism and bigoted unionist rule.
“They led a military fight back as well as political campaigns against one of the most powerful states in the world and we are rightly proud of their contribution to our freedom struggle.
“The annual republican commemoration in Gulladuff on Sunday 3 August is also an opportunity for a celebration of our resistance. It is a time when comrades from down through the many years of struggle and their families have an opportunity to meet up and renew friendships. This is particularly true for the republican ex-prisoner community from across Counties Derry and Antrim who were incarcerated in prison ships and jails the length and breadth of Ireland. Men and women who developed bonds that will last forever because of their harsh experiences while on the blanket and during the course of other forms of prison protests.”
Bateson concluded by highlighting the theme of this year’s commemoration – Civil Rights, Equality, Independence – the freedom struggle continues.
Announcing details of the commemoration, Republican Graves Association co-ordinator and Sinn Féin councillor for the Newbridge/ Ballymaguigan area, Peter Bateson extended a warm invitation to all nationally minded people to attend the event. He extended a special welcome to all the republican ex-prisoners from across the area as well as to young people.
Councillor Bateson said:
“When we remember people who died in the struggle for Irish independence and equality, we shouldn’t think of them as just names of long lost heroes. We have to remember them for who they were. Here in this small area, icons of republicanism emerged. The very mention of their names continues to inspire many people and struggles throughout the world. Many of us were lucky enough to have known such amazing people, not just as comrades, but as friends.
“It is important to remember to our deceased comrades and to extend continuing solidarity and support to the families of all our patriot dead. Those republicans listed in the Garden of Remembrance in Gulladuff were ordinary people forced into an extraordinary situation imposed on them by centuries of vicious British colonialism and bigoted unionist rule.
“They led a military fight back as well as political campaigns against one of the most powerful states in the world and we are rightly proud of their contribution to our freedom struggle.
“The annual republican commemoration in Gulladuff on Sunday 3 August is also an opportunity for a celebration of our resistance. It is a time when comrades from down through the many years of struggle and their families have an opportunity to meet up and renew friendships. This is particularly true for the republican ex-prisoner community from across Counties Derry and Antrim who were incarcerated in prison ships and jails the length and breadth of Ireland. Men and women who developed bonds that will last forever because of their harsh experiences while on the blanket and during the course of other forms of prison protests.”
Bateson concluded by highlighting the theme of this year’s commemoration – Civil Rights, Equality, Independence – the freedom struggle continues.