Well attended Peter Daly Commemoration defies neo-nazi vandalism act

The annual Peter Daly commemoration held in Monageer last night saw a large crowd, representing several political groupings and campaign organisations from the Irish left and republican socialist traditions, descend on the small Enniscorthy village.  They came to honour the life and ethos of Irish republican and socialist Peter Daly who died fighting fascism in Spain seventy five years ago.

During the week a group of neo-nazi thugs vandalised the Monageer monument to Peter Daly, attacking the stone with a hammer causing minor damage.  They also threw paint over the monument and painted a reference to former Ku Klux Clan leader Davin Lane on it.  It's a credit to the Peter Daly society and the people of Monageer that the monument was cleaned up and restored to full health in the space of a few hours.

It was obvious from the large crowd in attendance that the work of vandalism by a small minority of racist thugs failed miserably to destroy the legend of Peter Daly or the respect that the people of the monageer area feel for him.  Former hunger striker Tommy McKearney spoke about the life of Peter Daly on the night and was followed by well known folk singer Pól MacAdaim who sang a rousing version of Viva la Quinca Brigada.

Peter Daly was wounded once in the Irish civil war and twice in the Spanish civil war fighting for freedom.  He died after been badly wounded trying to take the fortification over the town of Quinto on September 5th 1937.