On Sunday July 7, the Annual Wolfe Tone Commemoration organised by the Revolutionary Socialist Republican Movement saw Republicans from across Ireland assemble in Bodenstown Cemetery Outside Sallins in County Kildare.
Led by the Socialist Republican Colour Party, representing the Four Provinces of Ireland and the continuity of the Republican struggle from the days of Wolfe Tone down to today, the Parade marched to the graveside of the father of Irish Republicans carrying banners that included the message ‘Britain/NATO Out of Ireland’ and ‘Republicans against NATO’ and carried a number of republican flags side by side with the Basque and Palestinian national flags along with the flag of the PFLP.
At the graveside, the event was chaired by a Wicklow Republican, who welcomed those inn attendance and commented on the growth of the movement in recent years which was evident from the crowd in attendance before sending solidarity to the Republican Pows and the Basque and Palestinian Resistance Movements. To begin the event a haunting rendition of Bodenstown Chuchyard written by the Young Irelander Thomas Davis was sang to the crowd, before a young Republican Activist from County Meath was called forward to read the 1916 Proclamation and reassert the allegiance of the Revolutionary Socialist Republican Movement to the All Ireland Republic, Proclaimed in Arms in 1916.
The chair then called for a minutes silence for the men and women of every generation who gave their lives for National Liberation, as the colour party lowered their flags in honour of our Patriot Dead. Veteran Republican, Tony Byrne from Wicklow then laid a wreath on the grave of Wolfe Tone on behalf of the Revolutionary Socialist Republican movement.
The chair then called for the main oration of the day, which was delivered by a Republican from Dublin. The speaker began by sending solidarity to the Republican POWs in Portlaoise, Maghaberry, Hydebank and Magilligan, asserting that the POWs should be supported by all republicans regardless of groups and went on to remember a number of comrades who have passed away in the last 12 months. After Expressing Solidarity with the Palestinian Resistance the speaker continued by confirming the commitment of the movement to the struggle for National Liberation as the priority in this period of struggle asserting that by ‘remaining true to the teachings and the vision of Wolfe Tone, we can build a revolutionary movement that will successfully free our country.’ The speaker highlighted that Tone’s most important beliefs were the need to ‘break the connection with England and to ensure the Republican Movement was always rooted in and driven by the ‘Men of no property’. the speaker made reference to the fact that other important tenets of Republicanism set down by tone were that republicanism was always Anti Imperialist and it is Internationalist and that Republicans support the liberation struggles of oppressed people all over the world because ‘every blow struck against imperialism brings our victory closer’.
The speaker outlined the need for an Anti Imperialist broad front and explained how such a development would greatly strengthen the movement. It is a priority of the Movement to develop a ‘United Front of Revolutionary Republicans, respectful of the autonomy and independence of the groups and independents involved, working in co-operation to advance our common Republican objectives and achieve a common Republican Programme, and continued that trust and cooperation between Republicans could be built up towards this end, being best achieved through activism and ‘the development of National Republican Campaigns that can be taken up by all Republican Groups and Independents in a unity of purpose that shows the real and forgotten Strength of the Republican Movement. There are many such campaigns that could be developed from Support for POW, opposing internment and extradition, Environmental campaigns such as the unacceptable situation in Lough Neagh to campaigns that oppose the British and NATO Presence in Ireland’.
Following the main Oration, the chair brought the event to a close by calling for the singing of the National Anthem, Amhrain na bhFiain.
If anyone doubted that the state views Irish Socialist Republicanism as a threat, it would quickly have been done away with by the presence of 6 carloads of the Special Branch present at the event, who filmed proceedings throughout in a pointless attempt to intimidate the Republicans in attendance. Since the Days of Tone and the United Irishmen one version of Political Police or another have been used to attempt to stop Republicans from pursuing our legitimate objectives, but such tactics have and will always fail and only serves to make the movement and its membership even more determined.