Thousands brave pouring rain to honour Wolfe Tone

THOUSANDS of people braved terrible weather on Sunday to remember 'the father of Irish Republicanism' Theobald Wolfe Tone at his final resting place in Bodenstown, County Kildare.

Carrying banners and flags the marchers were accompanied by dozens of bands and colour parties from across the 32 counties.

The main speaker at the event, Assembly Health Minister Michelle O'Neill MLA (right), said the principles outlined by Wolfe Tone and the United Irishmen have underpinned every part of the republican struggle since:

“Wolfe Tone crystallised the longstanding tradition of resistance to British rule into the progressive political principles of Irish Republicanism that we remain committed to today,” she said.

“Inspired by the revolutions in America and France, the United Irishmen established an alliance of Catholics, Protestants, and Dissenters, in opposition to sectarianism and British rule, and in favour of Human Rights, Equality, Liberty, Democracy, and Solidarity.”

Michelle O'Neill noted the continued growth of Sinn Féin in the South as support for the two conservative right-wing parties of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael drops to a historic low:

“The so-called ‘new politics’ is difficult to distinguish from the old politics of co-option and corruption. This is because there is little difference between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. They are both right-wing parties that have no intention of delivering a Republic of equals – the Republic that Sinn Féin continues to work towards,” she said.

Speaking on the situation in the North, the republican movement had stood-up for nationalist people when they were treated as second-class citizens in their own country.

“Sinn Féin has transformed the North. In 1998, two hundred years after the United Irish rebellion, we created a new Assembly which shares power between “Catholic, Protestant and dissenter,” she said.

The Health Minister said this generation must be the one to achieve the vision of Wolfe Tone.

Referencing the generosity and strength of republicans through the decades, from Constance Markievicz to Mairéad Farrell and on to Mary Lou McDonald TD and Megan Fearon MLA, Michelle said:

“If we stay true to those qualities, and if we stand by the principles of Equality, Liberty and Fraternity, then we can break the link with Britain and unify our people and our nation. We can build a republic worthy of its name.”