This years Volunteer Ronán MacLochlainn commemoration will take place on Sunday 5th May.
We ask that all assemble 1PM at the gates of Glasnevin Cemetery for march to the Republican plot.
All welcome and for any wreaths or floral tributes to be mentioned please let organisers know before hand or on the day.
Cork 32CSM held their annual Easter Commemoration at the Republican plot, Saint Finbarr’s Cemetery, Cork.
Wreaths were laid by:
Cumann na mban
Fianna Eireann
32CSM
Príosúnaigh phoblachtacha na hÉireann
Sinnots Cross commemoration committee
The Kavanagh family at John Joe Kavanaghs grave.
Main oration:
It is at this time of year, and in rememberance and solidarity with the events of Easter Week 1916, that we honour our patriot dead of every generation. We recall their revolutionary ideas, their patriotic passion and their selfless sacrifice to establish a sovereign republic for the people of Ireland.
Our duty of care to their great legacy is to ensure that out contribution to that legacy advances the cause for which they gave their lives. For that is the true price for saying ‘I am an Irish republican’.
Once again, the political class in Ireland has surrendered control of the constitutional question to the Westminster Parliament. Such is the extent of that surrender that former republicans are now forced to apologise for the patriotic war, fought to remove Britain’s constitutional claim to the Six Counties.
And just as the Boundary Commission faded into irrelevance, so too will calls for a Border Poll, as the electoral opinion polls will control the direction of their lucrative political careers.
The sovereignty of the people of Ireland is inalienable and indefeasible. The partition of our country is a continuing affront to that fundamental truth. The guiding principle for all republicans is to act in accordance with the elemental truths of the Proclamation and afford zero legitimacy to either partitionist states.
Throughout our history so-called ‘solutions to the Irish problem’ have only perpetuated British occupation because they employed a willing Irish political class to administer that occupation under British supervision. That continues to be the core function of the Good Friday Agreement.
As Irish republicans we are as one with the struggle of the Palestinian people. The present US backed Israeli genocide in occupied Palestine has rightly brought millions of people onto their respective streets demanding an end to the carnage.
The people of Ireland have stepped up to the mark and can proudly say that they have done so in solidarity with the people of Palestine in the Gaza Strip and The West Bank.
Can those who went on a political junket to shake the hand of those who both arm and give political cover to the Israeli genocide say the same?
And just as the historic parallels of the Palestinian and Irish struggles are apparent to republicans so too is the sell out rhetoric being peddled as a so-called solution.
The occupation of Ireland and Palestine must end, and our respective sovereignties restored for true peace settlements to be reached. There can be no two states in Ireland and there can be no two states in Palestine.
So when we take to the streets in protest, we must remember that the cause of Palestine is the cause of Ireland, and the cause of Ireland is the cause of Palestine in return. We must make all our protests count.
The Proclamation remains unfinished business. The legacy of those who fought in Easter Week still remains entwined with the yet to be written epitaph of Robert Emmet.
It must be the sworn duty of this generation of Irish republicans to ensure that epitaph is written.
Beir bua
A statement from the family if IRA volunteer Joe O'Connor was also read out, found at the following link:
The following statement from the family of IRA Volunteer Joe O'Connor was read at this years 32csm easter commemoration in Cork.
We the surviving siblings of IRA Volunteer Joe O’Connor send our best wishes, blessings and solidarity to his old comrades in the 32 County Sovereignty Movement on this our National Day of Remembrance.
We thank you all again for remaining true to the principles of the 1916 proclamation and trust you to remain steadfast in the gpursuit of true Irish freedom and Sovereignty as was the goal of our dear brother and indeed all of our patriot dead.
While we as a family must live with the spectacle of seeing latter day monarchists and career politicians, (those who approved of our brother’s state sanctioned murder) gather at the graves of Ireland’s fallen, it gives us great succour to know that true Irish republicans disgusted with their deeds both past and current are gathering in those same sacred spots, but with correct intentions.
In previous years it was revealed to us that a paid RUC agent demanded and initiated the murder of our brother in October 2000. Our public declaration through the media to this effect has not once been refuted or countered by the Provisionals or their many media and online commentators, and as such we can only accept it now as fact.
The British state murdered our brother via a paid agent on the ground, but also with the ‘blind eye’ approval of every party in Stormont and indeed Leinster house. While British secretary of State Mo Mowlam openly called for such murder two years previously, not two days after the foul deed, Bertie Ahern simply stated that he wanted to ‘see the Real IRA delt with comprehensively’.
The appearance of co-ordination between Joe’s murder in the north and Aherns ongoing round up of his comrades in the south was always evident to us and is not (in our opinion) a coincidence. Our brother was murdered in a cross-border initiative to smash principled dissent against the ongoing pacification process which is today destroying revolutionary Irish republicanism before our eyes.
While most champions of human rights will be loath to admit it, Joe’s murder was a blatant case of British and Free State collusion, as foul as the atrocities of Churchill, Mulcahy and O’Higgins in the past. And you in the 32CSM were all victims of it yet stood firm.
We salute you for standing firm and know you will continue to do so, and we wish you a happy and peaceful Easter.
Tiocfaidh Ar La
