West Cork weekend a huge success

Fra McCann with Cork Sinn Féin councillors and a colour party in Fianna uniforms

BY ROBERT McLENAGHAN

REPUBLICANS from all over Ireland and abroad converged on Bandon, West Cork on the weekend of 7 and 8 November  for a series of events to commemorate the Manchester Martyrs, Allen, Larkin and O’Brien.
The first event began early Saturday morning when a bus load of West Belfast and West Cork republicans were taken on a tour of West Cork which included stops at Cork City Cemetery to pay our respects to republican icons Terence MacSwiney, Tomás Mac Curtain and Tom Barry amongst others.
Then it was on to Crossbarry where local historian Sean Kelleher, who stood as a candidate on an Anti-H-Block ticket in the 1981 General Election  gave a rivetting account of the famous ambush where his father Tom was a commander in one of the seven IRA sections which routed a contingent of over 1,200 British soldiers.
The tour then went to Kilmichael, scene of perhaps the most successful IRA Flying Column operation of the Tan War Period. Dessie O’Grady, a member of West Cork Sinn Féin gave a detailed account of how Tom Barry and his comrades completely destroyed a raiding party of the hated Auxiliaries stationed in Macroom.
On the return to Bandon there was a final stop at Béal na mBláth for people to see at first hand the spot where Michael Collins was killed by republican forces on 22 August 1922.
The Munster Arms Hotel in Bandon was the venue on Saturday night for an,  at times, hilarious yet deeply moving account of the Long Kesh Great Escape by escape participants Bik McFarlane, Bobby Storey and Gerry Kelly.
It was great to meet so many comrades in a crowd of over 300 hundred  people at the event.

COMMEMORATION
Sunday 8 November saw the annual Manchester Martyrs Commemoration. A colour party dressed in Fianna Éireann uniform and consisting of members of Cork Ógra Shinn Féin led the annual parade along with the Éire Nua Republican Flute Band from West Belfast.
West Belfast MLA Fra McCann gave an inspired oration in the graveyard where a memorial cross is dedicated to the three Irish patriots hanged in Manchester Jail in November 1867.
Fra recalled visiting Cork in 1972 and having the pleasure of meeting Commandant Tom Barry in person.
His main theme was the need for social revolution in the Ireland of today with vicious cutbacks in public services about to be inflicted on our people. This he said was the best way to remember the legacy of the IRB and the Manchester Martyrs.
All in all it was an inspiring weekend for all concerned.  Special thanks to DJ O’Driscoll, Rachel Mc McCarthy and the members of Bandon and
West Cork Sinn Fein who showed us great warmth and hospitality.
We are already looking forward to the 90th anniversary of Kilmichael next year. A date all republicans should put in their diary.

Cllr Noel Harrington, Bobby Storey, Cllr Rachel English, Brendan ‘Bik’ McFarlane and Gerry Kelly