It
is no secret that an increasing numbers of Irish
Republicans have become disillusioned with the
Good Friday Agreement and disconcerted with SF's
inability to get the British State to enforce
the terms of the agreement upon Unionism. This
despite the Provisional Republican Movement having
committed itself to honoring its side of the agreement,
which has meant it has overseen the decommissioning
of most of its armory and stood down all but its
most senior Volunteers, both of which went against
the wishes of the majority of the organization's
volunteers and the historic traditions of the
Óglaigh na hÉireann. Nevertheless,
despite the aforementioned lack of forward movement,
the PRM leadership having signed up to the GFA
hook, line and sinker still rigidly adheres to
it as if there is no alternative but to bend the
knee to ever more demands from the Unionist politicians.
It
is hardly surprising three dozen or so Irish Republicans
considered getting together in Toomebridge to
have a chat about the future of their country
and the role of Irish Republicanism within it.
They came from a myriad of Republican organizations
and none. Amongst their number were soldiers,
politicians, trade unionists, political activists,
the unemployed, writers and academics. In the
main they came from the working classes and those
who toil on the land, but as the aforementioned
professions suggest, there is a sprinkling of
middle class people amongst their number. They
themselves make no mention of armed struggle for
this was not the purpose of the meeting, which
basically boils down to 'Whither Irish Republicanism,'
circa 2006. True, some will be advocates of Abstentionist
Armed Struggle, others, whilst recognizing the
right of Irishmen and women to take up arms to
end the British State's occupation of the north
east of Ireland, which is after all maintained
by force of British arms, believe that there is
not the will within core Republican communities
for a return to war, nor would that option in
all probability meet with any more success today
than it did during the 'Long War'. However, what
all of these Republicans have in common is they
openly raise the question as to there being a
need for an alternative, organized Republican
prospective to the Good Friday Agreement.
These
Republicans all agree that the PRM, in its head-long
rush for political power has made one compromise
too many, and in the cold light of day, for all
their trashing of Republican values and decommissioning
of arms, they have very little to show for it
politically. Indeed, in the South they have no
more parliamentary seats in Dáil Éireann
than the Workers Party, a previous split from
Republicanism, achieved in its heyday. In the
north, little political progress has been made
as the Unionists still refuse to sit with SF in
a devolved local government. After each compromise,
designed by SF to kick start the negotiations
to bring about a devolved government, the Unionists
and their British masters raise the bar and demand
yet another bout of self flagellation from the
Shinners. The latest obstacle the Unionists claim
is SF's refusal to help administer the colonial
Police Service Northern Ireland. Mr Adams once
again claims this is a rubicon he will not cross,
yet few believe him as he was part of a leadership
that toured the country telling their members
'not an ounce or a single bullet', only for the
unfortunate-but-ultra-loyal Seanna Walsh to appear
on TV to tell volunteers that they had been made
redundant as the business was downsizing. A thesis
could be written about how Mr Adams abuses people's
loyalty and turns something which is an admirable
human characteristic into a weakness, bordering
on a betrayal, whilst keeping his own reputation
spotless.
So
why has the media, NI's politicians and in all
probability the security forces, got themselves
into such a dizzy spin over this proposed meeting
in Toomebridge? More to the point, why did SF
get called in to put a stop to it, for that is
the only conclusion one can draw from the cancellation
of the meeting at such short notice. There is
real irony here if the claims being made about
the local council being pressurized to cancel
the venue are true, for how many times in the
past, did the Dublin government pressurize public
and private organizations not to rent SF a Hall
to hold its annual Ard Fheis in?
I
could continue this essay, add this or that as
to the reasons why the thought of a Renaissance
Republicanism, which is firmy anchored within
the real politics of the 21st century would set
alarm bells ringing in the Viceroy's Mansion and
beyond. But I have no need, for although times
change, some things remain eternal, thus I will
return again to Pádraig Pearse's words
to point out why Irish patriots, whilst Ireland
remains unfree, will turn to Republicanism, no
matter what any transient Republican leadership
may say or do, and thus why the enemies of Irish
Unity will become panicked by the thought of such
a coming together of Irish Republicans.
"They
think that they have pacified Ireland. They
think that they have purchased half of us and
intimidated the other half. They think that
they have foreseen everything, think that they
have provided against everything; but, the fools,
the fools, the fools! — They have left
us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds
these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be
at peace."
