RSF attack Sinn Féin and the 'military wing' of Fine Gael

Upwards of 100 people gathered for the Republican Sinn Féin (RSF) commemoration ceremony in Stranorlar on Sunday afternoon.

It heard criticism of the Good Friday Agreement and a warning that reformists like Sinn Féin had turned their backs on the struggle for Irish freedom and the rise of right-wing anti-immigrant parties who were accused of being  the military wing of Fine Gael

The group made its way from the fire station in Stranorlar to the memorial on Main Street where Saoirse McElhinney, Letterkenny-Strabane read the 1916 Proclamation, Ester McElhinney, Letterkenny read the Republican Roll of Honour and wreaths were laid by Jim Sweeney, Creeslough and Glasgow on behalf of the leadership of the Republican movement and Muireann De Barra, Gaoth Dobhair on behalf of the Drumboe Martyrs Commemoration Committee while an oration and a decade of the Rosary was delivered by the treasurer of Republican Sinn Féin, Diarmuid Mac Dubhghlaid, Dublin. Pat Barry from Bundoran did the honours raising and lowering the national flag during the ceremony while the piper was Sean Toye from the Glens of Antrim who performed a lament and the national anthem. The John Brady Memorial Flute Band, Strabane provided the music and colour party. 

The MC for the ceremony was Mary Ward, (above) from Burtonport, the chairperson of the Drumboe Martyrs Commemoration Committee. Photo: Gerard McHugh Photography

The statement from the leadership of the Republican movement was read by Martin Kelly from Co Tyrone. He also touched on the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

"The agreement was based on the lie that the 'peace agreement' was voted on by all the Irish people as the two referenda took place on the same day, north and south of Britain's border. The referendum in the 26 counties was on an amendment to the 26-county constitution, not the Stormont Agreement.

"The establishment in Ireland and Britain are self-congratulating themselves on a great job done. They will fall over themselves in honouring people like Bertie Ahern, Tony Blair and Bill Clinton, without whom we are told there would be no agreement - Ahern, who was dragged before a tribunal and Blair who lied to the British House of Commons and brought Britain into a war with Iraq along with their US allies at a cost of hundreds of thousands of mostly civilian lives.

"These are the heroes of a so-called peace agreement which has now institutionalised sectarianism in the occupied Six Counties.

Mr Kelly added they condemned the political reformists who he claimed had turned their backs on the struggle for Irish freedom while out of the corner of their mouths, they commemorated Irish patriots who carried out that struggle.

"The 'peace process' has become more important than their stated long-term objective, a united Ireland. The 'peace process' is a British process of containment of the Irish struggle. The reformists have now taken over from the SDLP as the 'Stoop Down Low Party'.

Mr Kelly said they also rejected the process of bringing the 26-county state into NATO.

"China and Russia are being sold as the bogeymen on TV and radio news on a daily basis. Chinese social media is looked upon with suspicion. All of this is to play mind games with the electorate and promote NATO as necessary for defence.

"The EU is now also a military bloc. The people of the 26 Counties will have serious choices to make in referenda in the near future. The politicians who demand peace at home are doing their best to involve their own military in foreign wars."

The speaker said their movement also rejected the rise of right-wing anti-immigrant parties who had come to the fore lately.

"Many of those involved carry out our national flag and also carry other Republican flags, for example, the Starry Plough. Where were these 'patriots' in opposition to the British occupation. These groups spew hatred and division which the Irish people, as a post-colonial society are very familiar with. Some of these groups would be best described as the military wing of Fine Gael or 'dissident' Fine Gaelers," he said.