MAKING HISTORY

THESE are historic times. We remember the sacrifices of countless others and pay tribute to them through our efforts now.
March 1st marks the 30th anniversary of the start of the 1981 H-Blocks Hunger Strike.
March 8th marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day.
And March marks the arrival in Leinster House of Sinn Féin as a truly significant political force in the 26 Counties – with 14 TDs, including party leader Gerry Adams – to complement the strength of the party in the Six Counties.
Not only were there tremendous gains with the 14 newly-elected TDs but several other candidates came very close to making this election even more historic.
Almost a quarter of a million people voted for Sinn Féin in the 26-County general election.
The all-Ireland project has received a massive boost and added momentum with the election of the new TDs.
Sinn Féin is now a major political force on both sides of the border.
Sinn Féin has an all-Ireland vision and the politics and programmes to achieve the republican goal and realise the ideals of the 1916 Proclamation.
Gerry Adams TD, thanking everyone who voted and worked for Sinn Féin’s election triumph, said:
“Sinn Féin went out with a very clear manifesto in terms of core, genuine republican values which are about upholding citizenship, looking after the most vulnerable, making sure that people have their entitlements.
“That’s what we’re about.
“We’re also a united Ireland party. We’re an all-Ireland party.”
And the anniversary of the H-Blocks Hunger Strike was ever-present.
“This isn’t just about who wins what and who tops the poll and who doesn’t – this is about actual sacrifice in terms of the ongoing reconquest of Ireland by the people of Ireland.”
The general election is over. There are council and Assembly elections ahead of us in the North in May. There are other arenas of struggle between elections as well at the polls.
Throughout the 32 Counties, Sinn Féin must use its strength and growing support to build even more resistance to the ‘Consensus for Cuts’, to build a stronger alternative to the parties who would rather hand over authority to the IMF/EU, and to use public money to bail out banks rather than invest in a stimulus programme to protect and create jobs and develop services.
We must also deepen the republican roots that have now been planted and grown – Sinn Féin must be rooted, relevant and republican. Republicans everywhere must build for a united Ireland and New Republic built in the interests of citizens.
Fine Gael has benefited from the desire for a change of government but the policies put forward by Fine Gael differ little in their essentials from those of Fianna Fáil.
Gerry Adams said this election could mark the beginning of a realignment in Irish politics. Whoever makes up the new government, if they cling to the failed ideologies and policies of the past they will heap more misery on families on low and middle incomes trying to get by, families struggling to pay their bills and their mortgages while the banks are bailed out with billions of taxpayers’ money.
The 220,000 people who voted for Sinn Féin have made a stand. Sinn Féin has shown that there is a better way. Join us in building that better way.