15 May 1997 Edition
Maggie gets an earful in US
by Joe Joyce and Christy Mac an Bhaird
The dogged determination of Irish activists from five states and the Internet proved too much for Margaret Thatcher last week, as scores of people converged on York, Pennsylvania, to protest against her appearance at a function held by the local Junior League.
Filling the streets with a din not heard since the battle of Gettysburg and garnering the majority share of media coverage - four television networks and a half dozen newspapers covered the protest - activists delivered their message to Thatcher and the city's fathers with pipers, posters and bin lids.
Local protest organiser, Jim McGuigan, said Thatcher's presence in York was an insult to all educated people in Pennsylvania.
McGuigan, a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, said the demonstration, which included representatives from Noraid, the Irish American Unity Conference, Clan na Gael, the Irish American Political Education Committee and the Socialist Workers Party, was organised via the Internet, a rapidly growing tool for Irish-American activists.
McGuigan said the appearance of Thatcher so close to the anniversary of the death of hunger striker Bobby Sands was particularly infuriating to the Irish supporters.
Jim Dolan, a protester from Pennsylvania, said, ``As for Thatcher, I'm sure, that at least once she thought, when am I going to get rid of those people,'' referring to the demonstrators.
``Of course the answer to that is never. It seems as though Bobby Sands is going to haunt Maggie till she enters her final resting place,'' he said.
Thatcher was also met by demonstrators in Minneapolis Minnesota on Friday 9 May.
About 180 demonsrators protested outside a dinner given in her honour.
The dogged determination of Irish activists from five states and the Internet proved too much for Margaret Thatcher last week, as scores of people converged on York, Pennsylvania, to protest against her appearance at a function held by the local Junior League.
Filling the streets with a din not heard since the battle of Gettysburg and garnering the majority share of media coverage - four television networks and a half dozen newspapers covered the protest - activists delivered their message to Thatcher and the city's fathers with pipers, posters and bin lids.
Local protest organiser, Jim McGuigan, said Thatcher's presence in York was an insult to all educated people in Pennsylvania.
McGuigan, a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, said the demonstration, which included representatives from Noraid, the Irish American Unity Conference, Clan na Gael, the Irish American Political Education Committee and the Socialist Workers Party, was organised via the Internet, a rapidly growing tool for Irish-American activists.
McGuigan said the appearance of Thatcher so close to the anniversary of the death of hunger striker Bobby Sands was particularly infuriating to the Irish supporters.
Jim Dolan, a protester from Pennsylvania, said, ``As for Thatcher, I'm sure, that at least once she thought, when am I going to get rid of those people,'' referring to the demonstrators.
``Of course the answer to that is never. It seems as though Bobby Sands is going to haunt Maggie till she enters her final resting place,'' he said.
Thatcher was also met by demonstrators in Minneapolis Minnesota on Friday 9 May.
About 180 demonsrators protested outside a dinner given in her honour.