Léargas

                   Speaking in Ballinamore to a packed hall on the legacy of John Joe McGirl John Joe McGirl – an unbreakable Fenian In the course of almost 60 years of activism I have been very lucky to meet many wonderful, committed, compassionate republicans. On Saturday, in Ballinamore in County Leitrim, Republicans from Leitrim and beyond will gather to celebrate the life of one of these – John Joe McGirl. The annual John Joe McGirl commemoration is one of the highlights of the Ballinamore Festival Week and the participants will walk from John McGahern Square to the monument to John Joe opposite Amharclann an Oileáin (the Island Theatre). The monument was designed by Robert Ballagh. For many of my generation John Joe was an inspiration – a legend. I first met him in the late 1960s. I was in my late teens. I had travelled by bus from Belfast to Enniskillen one Friday evening and then hitch-hiked to Ballinamore. I slept in a field in my trusty sleeping bag and I landed in Ballin

  Terry O'Sullivan, Paul Maskey and Jeremy Corbyn Be An Activist I had the privilege of attending many of the debates and discussions which are a unique and vital part of Féile an Phobail. Well done to all the participants and in particular to the organisers and the stewards who ensured that everything worked smoothly. Thanks also to the venues which welcomed us all. I want to touch briefly on the remarks made by Terry O'Sullivan and Jeremy Corbyn at separate events, particularly on the importance of organising civic society. Jeremy, a former leader of the British Labour Party and Terry the General Secretary Emeritus of The Laborers' International Union of North America are wonderful advocates for the imperative of organising social and political movements to bring about deep rooted and positive change.  For all of the differences in their two countries the need to organise people is a common thread in their work. That and a fierce commitment to equality and social ju

  Frederick Douglass takes pride of place in Belfast A great crowd turned out on Monday morning in Lombard St. in Belfast City Centre for the unveiling by Belfast City Ard Mheara Ryan Murphy of a very fine statue of Frederick Douglass, escaped slave and human rights campaigner. It is a striking image of Douglass who is an iconic figure for his work on campaigning for an end to slavery and for equality and justice for African Americans and for women. He visited Ireland in 1845-46 just before the worst years of The Great Hunger.  He gave over fifty speeches during his time here. They are  evidence of his great affection for Ireland and his recognition of the connection between the treatment of African Americans and of most Irish people in the 19 th century under British rule. His words are  a reminder of the evil and horror that was and is slavery and of the work of the anti-slavery movement that was active in Ireland during his visit. Slavery had been opposed by radical Presbyteri

  “I stand with the people of Ireland” - Jessie Jackson Reverend Jesse Jackson has been a long-standing friend of Ireland and an advocate for equality and peace. He has visited here many times and I have been fortunate to have also had the opportunity to meet him in the USA. During a visit to the North in 2011 Rev. Jackson said: “The pattern of communities struggling for freedom, justice and democracy is essentially the same … Where there is no justice, there can be no peace. As Dr. King often reminded us, peace is not the absence of noise but the presence of justice.” On his last visit in June 2017 Rev. Jackson opened the newly rebuilt Museum of Free Derry along with Fiachra McGuinness and his mother Bernie. He also visited Martin’s graveside. Four months later Rev. Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. As well as telling the story of Bloody Sunday the museum is dedicated to the civil rights movement which drew inspiration from the African-American civil rights struggl