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
