16 October 1997 Edition
McVeigh book launched
by Catherine O Hagan
Sunshine and a fiddler gave a perfect atmosphere for the launch of `Crying Out for Justice' by Fr Joe McVeigh. The book is a collection of essays spanning fifteen years highlighting human rights issues in the Six Counties.
Everyone was there, from the international media to the Conway Mill cat, though the fact that Gerry Adams was scheduled to meet Tony Blair shortly after may have accounted for the presence of CNN. Chairperson Noelle Ryan from Springhill Community House introduced Gerry Adams who said the book was a ``significant contribution to a very necessary debate which for a long time was forbidden and is still restricted.''
Addressing his remarks to the Christian Churches, Adams said calling for justice is more demanding than saying you support peace. Reading from the preface by Fr Des Wilson, Adams quoted ``If religion is not about freedom it is about nothing. If it is used to oppress, it is a corruption. If it is used to set us free , to explore and realise out dignity, it is a rich blessing.''
McVeigh told the media. `` Many years ago I decided to take a pro-active role on the issue of Human Rights. I drew experience from my own life in Fermanagh where I often witnessed sectarian discrimination and harassment.''
McVeigh added that he saw it as his duty and responsibility to speak the truth and called for Church leaders to highlight injustice. Thanking Adams for attending the launch of his book on ``such a very significant day'' (the first time in over 70 years that Republicans met with a British prime minister), McVeigh said the days of British rule in Ireland are numbered. ``Partition has failed, the Six County statelet is a fail political entity. It is time for the British to accept that the maintenance of a privileged unionist system is anti democratic and has been the root cause of violent conflict here for generations,'' he writes in the book.
Sunshine and a fiddler gave a perfect atmosphere for the launch of `Crying Out for Justice' by Fr Joe McVeigh. The book is a collection of essays spanning fifteen years highlighting human rights issues in the Six Counties.
Everyone was there, from the international media to the Conway Mill cat, though the fact that Gerry Adams was scheduled to meet Tony Blair shortly after may have accounted for the presence of CNN. Chairperson Noelle Ryan from Springhill Community House introduced Gerry Adams who said the book was a ``significant contribution to a very necessary debate which for a long time was forbidden and is still restricted.''
Addressing his remarks to the Christian Churches, Adams said calling for justice is more demanding than saying you support peace. Reading from the preface by Fr Des Wilson, Adams quoted ``If religion is not about freedom it is about nothing. If it is used to oppress, it is a corruption. If it is used to set us free , to explore and realise out dignity, it is a rich blessing.''
McVeigh told the media. `` Many years ago I decided to take a pro-active role on the issue of Human Rights. I drew experience from my own life in Fermanagh where I often witnessed sectarian discrimination and harassment.''
McVeigh added that he saw it as his duty and responsibility to speak the truth and called for Church leaders to highlight injustice. Thanking Adams for attending the launch of his book on ``such a very significant day'' (the first time in over 70 years that Republicans met with a British prime minister), McVeigh said the days of British rule in Ireland are numbered. ``Partition has failed, the Six County statelet is a fail political entity. It is time for the British to accept that the maintenance of a privileged unionist system is anti democratic and has been the root cause of violent conflict here for generations,'' he writes in the book.