21 March 2002 Edition
St Patrick's Day 2002
City Council, loyalists and rain fail to stop play
The people of Belfast who went to the city centre this year to celebrate St Patrick's Day had a good day, and that's the official version of events!
Anyone who tells you different is in the pay of that large body of snakes driven out of the country by Patrick all those years ago and who will take every opportunity to spoil a good party.
Whether or not the loyalists who phoned in warnings about bombs being planted at three main points leading to the City Centre as they tried to disrupt the show are in the pay of the snakes or not is open to debate, but they failed to spoil things. The bomb scares were at Barrack Street, Albert Street and at Sorella Street and all three were declared hoaxes before the West Belfast parade set off from Dunville Park.
The City Fathers, as they are called, also failed to stop the parade given their refusal once again to give the St Patrick's Day Carnival Festival any money to fund the event.
It was therefore down to the rain to try to put a dampener on events, but once again the stout hearted citizens of Belfast ignored the inclement weather and headed to the City Hall, where they revelled in the entertainment provided by African band King Masco, Durkan Folk and The Answer from Downpatrick.
As the theme of this year's celebrations was Children of the World, youngsters from all over the city turned up clad in the national dress of countries throughout the world.
Children from the Holy Cross school had pride of place in the parade that made its way from Ardoyne and down through North Belfast to the City Hall.
Palestinian children, for the first time ever, took part in the parade in Belfast and marched under the banner 'Palestinian children deserve a future also'. The children were very well received by the thousands who lined the streets of Belfast city centre. Their banner was particularly poignant, given the killings and destruction ongoing in Palestine at the present time and the continuing illegal military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip by the Israeli State, despite all UN demands for them to withdraw.
"It was a great day", said Carnival chairperson Irene Sherry. "Despite the rain clouds, we have had a great turnout and everybody enjoyed themselves."
London festivities a huge success
Sinn Féin's Mitchel McLaughlin travelled to London at the weekend to participate in the British Capital's first ever official St Patrick's Day celebrations, which were a massive success. Police had to divert the second half of the parade away from Trafalgar Square, which was already packed with 30,000 people, and tens of thousands lined the route from Westminster Cathedral, down Whitehall and ending in Trafalgar Square. The parade consisted of all the usual elements, plus the rather incongruous sight of a contingent of the Metropolitan police complete with green sashes.
The Foyle Assembly member said:
"The London celebration of St Patrick was a fantastic success and all credit to the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone - a long time friend of Ireland. The Mayor's Dinner at the Savoy Hotel was attended by leading members of the London/Irish business community, sporting personalities including Niall Quinn and many from the world of entertainment.
"A great night was had by all - entertained by the legendary Dubliners, Mary Coughlan, Paddy Reilly, Finbar Furey as well as the Wexford Male Voice Choir and an array of London/Irish dancers and singers.
"The highlight of the weekend was the Parade on Sunday organised by the Irish Counties Associations starting with Mass at Westminster Cathedral. I was privileged to accompany Mayor Ken Livingstone and the Irish Ambassador, Daithí Ó Ceallaigh at the front of the parade to Trafalgar Square. The attendance exceeded all expectations - over 60,000.
"The event made history in that it broke the Code of Standards drawn up by Westminster stating that NO Irish events were allowed take place in Trafalgar or Westminster Squares. Following his election, responsibility for these areas fell within the remit of the Mayor who in his own words 'in recognition of the contribution made by the Irish community to every aspect of life in London', decided that proper recognition was long overdue.
"The relaxed and jubilant atmosphere in which the crowds enjoyed the event after so many years wait should ensure even bigger and better celebrations in future years. In the words of Ken Livingstone - 'it could rival New York in years to come'."
Tom Smith honoured
Up to 200 people braved the elements on St Patrick's day to remember Volunteer Tom Smith, who was gunned down by Free State soldiers on St Patrick's Day 27 years ago in an attempt to escape from Portlaoise jail, where he was held for his activity as an IRA Volunteer. Dublin South West Sinn Féin candidate Sean Crowe is pictured delivering the main oration.
Tremendous US welcome for Adams
BY RICHARD McAULEY
It used to be that St Patrick's Day meant exactly that - one day of parades, music, dance and, an occasional drink. But for many in the Sinn Féin leadership, the day has now become a weeklong celebration, involving extensive travelling across the USA and Canada.
This year Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness, Bairbre de Brún, Gerry Kelly, and Pat Doherty travelled to North America and visited most of the cities traditionally linked with the Irish diaspora. These included Chicago, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, San Francisco, Toronto and many more. Everywhere the Sinn Féin leadership team were met by enthusiastic crowds, packed halls and an interested local media. Newly arrived emigrants vied with second and third generation Irish to get autographs, shake hands, have photos taken and get the news from back home.
Gerry Adams visited a city a day, beginning in Scranton in Pennsylvania, through Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Washington DC, Baltimore, Seattle and San Francisco.
In Washington, he joined the Taoiseach and other political leaders at a meeting and reception with President George Bush in the White House, and at lunch with the Speaker of the House and senior Congressional and Senate figures.
KENTUCKY ADMIRAL
In North Kentucky, Gerry Adams was made an honourary Kentuckian Colonel, but when it was pointed out to his hosts that Martin McGuinness received this same honour last year and consequently had seniority, Adams was appointed an Admiral, tasked with defending and promoting the 'environmental heritage' of Kentucky.
The early days of the trip were dominated in part by David Trimble's criticism of the 26 Counties as a "pathetic sectarian, mono-ethnic, mono-cultural state", and his call for a border poll. Reaction in the US was universally hostile and angry to Trimble's remarks, which he repeated at an event in Washington on the Wednesday morning.
RESPONSE TO TRIMBLE
Responding to Trimble, Gerry Adams said: "Whatever the timing of a border poll - and it shouldn't be held simply to aid the UUP overcome its electoral difficulties - there can be no doubt that the debate on the nature and form and timing of a United Ireland which I and other Sinn Féin leaders have called for in recent times, is now well under way. This is good."
However he warned unionists that they bear a heavy responsibility in ensuring that "this debate is not used to foment fear, to encourage loyalist violence, or reinforce the old divisions. Let us ensure that the debate is carried out in a friendly, open and constructive fashion.
"Republicans are happy to engage with unionism on their vision for the future. We're open to listening to unionism about what they believe the union offers citizens. But I remain convinced that the arguments for Irish unity and support for that goal are growing each day."
In North Kentucky, Adams spoke at the Cathedral Basilica in Covington on the theme of 'Peace, Reconciliation, the role of Religion in the north of Ireland'. The Rev Fred Shuttlesworth, a close associate of Martin Luther King, and a civil rights legend in the United States, shared the platform.
REJECTING SECTARIANISM
Addressing a packed congregation, the Sinn Féin President dedicated his remarks to the memory of Fr Mychel Judge, the New York City Fire Chaplain who was killed on 11 September and to Tom McGinnis, who also died and who several years ago had helped organise a fundraiser for Friends of Sinn Féin in the Twin Towers.
Gerry Adams rubbished the idea that the conflict in Ireland is religious, stressing that it is about "two different political allegiances. Those who are loyal to Britain, because that relationship appears to guarantee their supremacy, and those who want a free, independent Ireland".
He spoke of the republican tradition and of its roots in the ideal of "the unity of Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter", and he told his audience of a recent visit to "a museum in Enniscorthy in County Wexford, where much of the bitterest fighting occurred during the 1798 rebellion. Over the door as you enter are words drawn from what is called the Catechism of the United Irishmen which for me sum up the connections between these great revolutions of that period.
"Found in a document in Middleton, County Cork, the words say:
What is that in your hand?
It is a branch.
Of what?
Of the tree of Liberty.
Where did it first grow? In America.
Where does it bloom? In France.
Where did the seeds fall? In Ireland."
The Sinn Féin President spoke of the history of the northern state, how sectarianism was built into the institutions and structures, the very fabric, of the state.
"All of this, the conflict in Ireland, is I believe rooted in Britain's presence, the partition of our country, and the differing political allegiances and divisions which British policy has fostered.
"Sectarianism has played its part. Unionist political leaders have used religion and sectarian bigotry to perpetuate these divisions, whip up fears, and historically maintain their political domination over the Protestant section of our people.
"For our part, Sinn Féin is an Irish Republican Party. Republicanism is nothing if it is not resolutely anti-sectarian."
In Seattle and San Francisco, hundreds turned out for events organised by Friends of Sinn Fein. In Seattle there was standing room only at the University of Washington, where Gerry Adams spoke to over a thousand students and faculty members about the peace process, human rights and justice issues. In San Francisco, hundreds joined the Sinn Féin leader and Oakland Mayor and former California Governor Jerry Brown, at the dedication of 'Gerry Adams Way'‚ a street that intersects with Martin Luther King Boulevard. The other Sinn Féin leaders all enjoyed equally well attended events.
De Brún in Canada for St Patrick's Day
Bairbre de Brún celebrated St Patrick's Day with Irish communities in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal from 15 to 17 March. The Health Minister kicked off her Canadian visit on Friday, 15 March by joining with 1,200 people at the annual Ireland Fund of Canada St Patrick's Day luncheon in Toronto. That evening, de Brún received a rousing welcome from over 150 members of the local Irish community at a Friends of Sinn Féin (FOSF) Canada dinner held at the Brampton Irish Centre. She briefed the audience on the status of the peace process and the drive for a united Ireland. She also took time to discuss health issues with Dr Carolyn Bennett, a prominent Member of Parliament from Toronto who was in attendance.
On Saturday, 16 March, de Brún traveled to Ottawa to participate in that city's St Patrick's Day parade. She received a warm welcome from the crowds watching the parade as she made her way along the route in the back of an open air convertible. After attending a successful afternoon reception organised by FOSF (Canada) near Parliament Hill, Minister de Brún joined in an evening of dance and music at a Ceoltas céilí. At the céilí, de Brún met and congratulated members of Galway's championship football team, who had brought the Sam Maguire Cup all the way to Canada's national capital.
De Brún ended her tour with a visit to Montreal. She joined Quebec dignitaries at the head of Montreal's St Patrick's Day parade, watched this year by over 700,000 people. The Health Minister was accompanied by the Mayor of Montreal Gerald Tremblay, the Quebec Minister for Municipal Affairs Andre Boisclair, the leader of the Bloc Quebecois party, Gilles Duceppe MP, and the Honourable Warren Allmand, former Solicitor General of Canada. Following the parade, the Sinn Féin representative attended a reception in her honour at the offices of the St Jean Baptiste Society, where she was officially welcomed by Mayor Tremblay and Minister Boisclair. After the reception, she attended a function organised by the GAA and met with leaders of the Montreal Irish community. The day ended with a social organised by Friends of Sinn Féin (Canada), where de Brún addressed a packed room on the need for continued international support for Sinn Féin and the Irish peace process.
BY ALAN McCONNELL
FRIENDS OF SINN FÉIN (CANADA)