On Sunday July 27, Republicans from across Ireland gathered in Sallins, Co. Kildare for the Annual Commemoration, organised by the Revolutionary Irish Socialist Republican Movement in honour of the Father of Irish Republicanism, Theobald Wolfe Tone, at his graveside in Bodenstown.
As the Republicans assembled, it became clear that the gathering was under heavy surveillance by the stormtroopers of the Free State, the Special Branch, with some in attendance noting they had been followed for several miles to the location.
As the the Socialist Republican Colour Party got ready for the event, the Branch made their move to attempt to harass and intimidate thise in attendance, stopping some comrades under the Free State’s section 30 of the offences against their state act, taking names and claiming others were dressed in Military Attire, as well as paying particular attention to the delegation that had traveled to the event from British Occupied Ireland. Those who were stopped were quickly supported by other comrades and the special branch backed off.
Undeterred, the commemorative march assembled, and led by the Socialist Republican Colour Party, made its way defiantly and unhindered to the grave of Tone.
Once at the graveside, the Chairperson welcomed those in attendance from all four provinces of Ireland, highlighting that their were veteran Republicans in attendance whose revolutionary activism stretched back to the early 1960s, Republican ex-POWs who had been imprisoned for their part in the ongoing fight for Irish Freedom, and young Republicans fully committed to achieving the vision of Wolfe Tone, making their first trip to Bodenstown, and that the presence of these three groups together on the one commemoration and the one movement demonstrates the continuity of the fight for National Liberation stretching back to the days of Wolfe Tone.
The chairperson also highlighted how Wolfe Tone had been one of the key founders of the United Irishmen, a politico- military organisation that was dedicated to achieving an Irish Republic by any means necessary, and led the first Republican armed struggle against British Rule in Ireland in 1798. The path laid down by Wolfe Tone and the United Irishmen remains the only path for achieving Freedom and the Republic in Ireland today.
The chair then called for the first song at the event, which was a rousing rendition of ‘The Rising of the Moon’ a song that captures the importance of the 1798 Uprising.
The chair continued by paying tribute to the Socialist Republican Colour Party, and all those in attendance for the discipline they had shown in the face of earlier provocation by the Special Branch. Commending the colour party, it was noted that the Republican Colour Party marching at events such as Bodenstown represents the Sovereignty and Unity of the 32 County All Ireland Republic as Proclaimed in Arms in 1916, and that their very presence at such events demonstrates the truth of Padraig Pearse’s rallying cry at the funeral of the great Fenian, O’Donnavan Rossa, that ‘Ireland unfree shall never be at peace’.
A minutes silence and the lowering of the flags for the men and women of every generation who have fought and died for Irish National Liberation, and a wreath was laid on behalf of the Revolutionary Irish Socialist Republican Movement.
The chair then introduced the main speaker of the day, veteran Irish Socialist Republican activist, Seán Doyle from County Wicklow to deliver the main oration. Doyle, began by addressing those in attendance as the ‘sons and daughters of the Irish Republic, committed to its full realisation and implementation. He continued by quoting from the 1966 Bodenstown Oration by his friend and comrade Seamus Costello that,’ Therefore, to imagine that we can establish a republic solely by constitutional means is utter folly. The lesson of history shows that in the final analysis the robber baron must be dis-established by the some methods that he used to enrich himself and retain his ill-gotten gains, namely, force of arms. To this end we must organise, train, and maintain a disciplined armed force which will always be available to strike at the opportune moment’. To conclude Doyle stated that the purpose of revolutionaries is to be a political solider in order to make our Republican objectives a reality.
Seán’s Oration will be published in full.
Following the main oration, the event was brought to a close with an acapella rendition of Amhrán na bhFian.
While the Special Branch made no further attempts to interfere with proceedings, a number of comrades have reported being followed for significant distance after the event as they returned home. These petty attempts at surveillance against Republicans demonstrate the fear the Free State has for organised and disciplined Revolutionary Socialist Republicans and that Sociaist Republicanism remains the most potent and advanced revolutionary ideology and movement in Ireland today.
Those in attendance from across Ireland left the grave yard more determined then ever to strengthen the Revolutionary Movement and continue the fight for Irish National Liberation until victory.