The power of political activism

What sets Sinn Féin apart in Irish political life is the sustained activism of party members and political activists. This edition of An Phoblacht highlights some of the multiple dimensions of the effort and work undertaken by Sinn Féin’s elected representatives. It ranges from the rural communities of Galway, South Armagh, and Coleraine to Dublin’s suburbs and the European Union and issues such as ensuring energy independence and applauding the thousands who turned up for the 42nd annual Hunger Strike commemoration in Cork last month.The activism described is something as simple as knocking on doors to gauge voter concerns on local issues or participating in the Causeway Coast’s first ever Pride event in Coleraine. It is holding constituency clinics in Clifden and South Armagh. It is Darren O’Rourke TD outlining how Sinn Féin will reform our liberalised energy sector or Chris MacManus MEP working to reject the EU-Mercosur trade deal at the EU Parliament. Another aspect of the internationalism of Sinn Féin’s political work is shown in Mark Ward’s article on sports washing and the plight of the Palestinian football team.It is highlighting the reality of the cost of living crisis across the island. Sorca Clarke TD and Pat Sheehan MLA highlight just one aspect of this in their articles which is the huge cost of returning to school for families.It is also the act of remembering the political prisoners over centuries of struggle and the Sinn Féin activists who travelled from all over Ireland to Cork for the Hunger Strike commemoration, a vital element of modern republicanism. Marking and honouring the activism and sacrifices of our political prisoners and the lessons of their struggle is key to the work of the party today. Dermot Finucane, a former prisoner, provides a firsthand insight and account of this.The article on the Léargas book series by Gerry Adams provides another dimension in the importance of understanding, remembering, and recounting the lives of republicans.This August also marked the 35th year since Féile. Its forerunner, the West Belfast Community festival was first held in 1988. This year’s Féile was a cross section of the cultural and political life of the whole of Ireland across all of its communities, with 350 events in over 50 venues across Belfast.

There are those who don’t want a politically engaged and active citizenship demanding their basic right to a better Ireland. They don’t want Sinn Féin to succeed. Instead, they want to decide what songs we can sing, as well as how and where we can commemorate the histories they don’t want to remember. They cannot hold back a risen people.