Main oration:
A chairde, in these exceptional times we must recognise that we are enduring a political pandemic that will have far reaching consequences for all the people of Ireland.
Accordingly, the limited resources of Irish republicanism must not be distracted by the invention of enemies. Now, more than ever, a pragmatic maturity must guide our thinking if we are to navigate our way forward.
The business of Stormont and Leinster House continues unabated. Partition is being further entrenched under the guise of cooperation over Covid-19. Plans for Brexit have not been altered. The Six County police force remains as sectarian and partisan as ever.
The Home Rule legacy is the dominant politics on the island. In its preservation a Dublin Court has ordered the extradition of Irish republican Liam Campbell to Lithuania.
In an over-ruling of its own courts decisions, Dublin also rushed through legislation to make it easier for Vulture Funds to seek home repossessions and evictions.
These are the real and pressing realities which confront our people today. These are the issues which Irish republicanism must demonstrate leadership on if our people are to take our vision for an Irish Republic seriously.
At Bodenstown in 2013 Francie Mackey stated:
"As republicans we need to develop a concept of winning. We must rid ourselves of the mindset that our role in this struggle is to merely pass it on to the next generation. If we perpetually think in terms of failure, we are certain to fail. Let there be no more glorious defeats or doomed noble efforts".
When we think and act together, we can move this struggle forward.
Beir Bua!
