Irish America supportive of Unity Referendum

Martin Galvin, former NORAID director of publicity, has visited Derry in his capacity as chairperson of the US Freedom For All Ireland, Ancient Order of the Hibernians (AOH).

Mr Galvin presented grant cheques to the Martin McGuinness Foundation, the Bloody Sunday Trust, the Bogside Artists, and 16 other groups across the North, on behalf of the AOH.

Among the wide range of topics covered in an extensive Derry News interview, Mr Galvin said of the current Assembly impasse: “Whether the DUP will or will not side with the British Government’s actions and the wishes of everyone else to get back to Stormont, depends on the price they are going to pay from Jim Allister (TUV) and Jamie Bryson. I will leave those calculations to them.”

The AOH had an influential and sizable contingent in Washington DC during the recent St Patrick’s day/week events, according to Mr Galvin.

He said: “The AOH was represented by Danny O’Connell, national president, Sean Prender, vice president, Liam McNabb, another national officer, and myself. Before that, I attended a reception where I met with Tánaiste Micheál Martin and was able to speak to him about ‘Legacy’.

“During the week, we were able to host Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Before coming to the States, Mr Varadkar knew the AOH had been urging the Irish Government to say it would take a case to Europe directly if Britain passes the new Legacy Bill and, before leaving Ireland, he made a public statement that the Irish Government has not ruled out such a move.

“The AOH was very pleased with this statement because it was as far as we expected the Irish Government to go. We have worked with the Good Friday Committee and we have worked with local politicians, from all of the political parties, to support such a move, as the only real brake on Britain. The British intend to pass this Bill, I believe. I will be briefing groups here on what the AOH was able to do,” said Martin Galvin.

Mr Galvin said the AOH’s national leaders also attended receptions at the White House.

“I was able to meet with Lord Caine one-on-one to discuss ‘Legacy’, in New York at the end of the week. Lord Caine is the British Official pushing the Legacy Bill in the House of Lords. He is one of the key spokespeople for it. I was able to question him on it.

“AOH representatives, myself included, are members of a number of different groups, including the Ad Hoc Committee for the Good Friday Agreement and the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, in that capacity, I was able to meet key Irish and British Officials.

“We were invited to the British Embassy and we were invited to the Irish Embassy and we met with officials in both. We also met with UUP party leaders, Doug Beattie and Mike Nesbitt.

“Geoffery Donaldson was there with other members of the DUP and we were able to speak to them. Ironically, one of the areas in which we were in complete agreement was the Legacy Bill, which is effectively a British Amnesty Bill. I would say how terrible it was and the DUP would agree. Obviously, however, speaking from different vantage points but arriving at the same conclusion,” said Martin Galvin.

Mr Galvin said everyone “excoriated” the Legacy Bill.

He added: “When I met Lord Caine, I was able to tell him how vehement the opposition was from all sides in Ireland. Even the British Labour Party has said it will vote against the Bill and would repeal it if it became the next Government.

“Everyone seems to be in agreement but the British Government is going to push this through to placate the military community and maybe some of its supporters on the right wing, who don’t believe British troops should ever be held to justice for murdering Irish civilians or anyone in Ireland or any crimes in Ireland. It does not want to admit to any of the crimes committed under Operation Banner.

“The AOH was able to highlight this at the reception and when we hosted a number of Congressional representatives and Senators.

“We want to reassure people in Ireland that when they voice concerns about justice and ‘Legacy’ or other concerns, they have a voice in Irish America and we are trying to help to be that voice for them,” said Martin Galvin.

Turning to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Galvin said they had always challenged the issue of visas for Sinn Féin, particularly Gerry Adams, to enable them to visit the US.

“You are talking pre-Hunger Strike,” said Martin Galvin. “That is why, when President Clinton was running there was an Irish American Forum.

“The Republican party at that time was very close to Margaret Thatcher. However, we made sure the issue of Ireland was on the Democratic political agenda. When Bill Clinton came in, I was picked to be on the panel and to ask him a specific question about a visa for Gerry Adams, which we think opened up the Peace Process.

“There is a great deal of talk now, for example, Gerry Adams made a speech recently about how the Good Friday Agreement is a process, about how the future of Ireland will be determined and there is a resolution in the form of a referendum / border poll on both sides of the border. Personally, I would have liked it to be one Ireland, one vote but this is the agreement we have.

“The AOH is actually giving a grant to the Ireland's Future group for pushing the referendum, which to me is always very important.

“We are grateful to see peace. The AOH supports the Good Friday Agreement but to me the Good Friday Agreement will only be a real success if we have that referendum, if there is a vote, and there is freedom for all Ireland, for Derry and for all of the people of the North,” said Martin Galvin.

Mr Galvin said British officials were of the opinion they could make a referendum something unachievable.

He added: “They believe they can ensure we will never achieve a referendum and this is just a way to play it out.

“Well, Irish America is very determined to see that this referendum, which can bring freedom to Derry and the Six Counties, does happen and it ends in a vote for freedom for all Ireland. Those are my feelings on the Good Friday Agreement.”
Concluding the interview, Mr Galvin said he was pleased to be visiting the George McBrearty mural in Creggan and the Tribute Garden it overlooked.

“I have attended commemorations here in the past with many Independent Republicans who I know during the struggle played a very active part.

“I have stood with them in the past and was very proud to do so. I hope I will be able to get back in May to do so again.

“I think Derry should be proud of the Memorial Garden and that everyone can visit it, regardless of party political affiliations, to commemorate and honour the people who were indeed patriots.”