Derry Republican 'deeply honoured' to lay wreath at independent Bodenstown commemoration

Veteran Derry republican, Danny McBrearty, said he was “deeply honoured” to be asked to lay a wreath on the Bodenstown grave of Theobald Wolfe Tone - leader of the 1798 Rebellion and the 'father of Irish republicanism'.

Mr McBrearty will be laying the wreath on behalf of the Derry branch of the newly established National Independent Wolfe Tone Commemoration Committee, which is hosting the event on Sunday, June 8 at 2.00pm.

The commemoration will be chaired by Seanie McGuinness, a former Republican prisoner from South Armagh and the oration will be delivered by John Crawley, ex-POW and author; Seán Whelan, chairperson of the National Graves Association, will also speak.

Speaking to The Derry News, John Crawley described Wolfe Tone as a “Church of Ireland patriot who never considered for a moment because he was Protestant, he was British”.

“Pádraig Pearse said of Tone: ‘He has spoken for all time, and his voice resounds throughout Ireland, calling to us from this grave when we wander astray following other voices that ring less true,” he said.

“On June 8, We want to remind people what Irish Republicanism is really about; it is about breaking the connection with England and establishing national unity across the sectarian divide.

“Whereas with the Good Friday Agreement nowadays, it has been twisted that it is a United Ireland but it is not really united because you can be British or Irish in the Six Counties in perpetuity.

“It keeps the sectarian dynamic. It keeps continuing British Government supervision of Irish governance by the British - Irish Intergovernmental Council continuing even after a Unity Poll is won.

“We are not saying that is wrong; we are saying it is not Republican. People who claim to be Republican should not be saying that is the Republican agenda because it most certainly is not.

“Republicans believe that an enduring process of national reconciliation can only begin when Britain leaves Ireland and can no longer interfere in our internal affairs. When Britain left the three Ulster counties of Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan in 1922, the Unionists in those counties did sign the Ulster Covenant and 103 years later they are still Protestant, those who wish to be are still Orangemen but they are not the British presence. They are equal and valued citizens of the Irish state.

“We are firm believers in Wolfe Tone’s Republican analysis was the correct one and still is, about uniting across the sectarian divide, in other words, what we are saying as Republicans is we should end these divisions for the sake of peace, whereas the ‘shared island’ narrative is that we should embrace these divisions for the sake of peace.”

The author of ‘The Yank’ said he believed a ‘shared island’ meant “we share in Britain’s analysis of the nature of the conflict as a domestic dispute between sectarian factions”.

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He added: “It means we share in the colonial legacy of sectarian apartheid, and we share in the imperial project of divide and rule.

“Differences that would become incidental in a genuine Republic remain fundamental in this ‘Shared Island.’
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“On June 8, we will stand beside the grave of Wolfe Tone, a remarkable patriot, to honour his service and sacrifice and to reaffirm our commitment to his ideals.

“We will stand not as southern or northern Irishmen and women, not as Catholics or Protestants, not as inhabitants of this ‘island’ nor advocates of insipid All-Island institutions, but as United Irishmen and women. We will stand as Tone and his comrades stood then – as proud and unapologetic Irish republicans.”

A bus to the Bodenstown Commemoration will leave Creggan shops at 8:30am on Sunday, June 8, and then from Free Derry Corner at 9.00 am. Tea and refreshments will be available to those travelling.

Numbers are limited so please phone one of the following if you wish to book a seat: Debbie: 07508 961104; Paddy: 07545 935000; or Alice: 07443 830686.