Ed O' Brien Remembered

Had Ed O' Brien lived he would have celebrated his thirty sixth birthday in a few weeks. Instead he died on foreign soil fourteen years ago, fighting for the independence and unity of his homeland.
A soldier. A freedom fighter. A patriot.
A twenty one year old who had taken everything he had, everything he was, and placed it on the line for Ireland.
His death placed him in the company of Fr. Murphy, Ph Pearse, Liam Mellowes and Bobby Sands. No one could ever validate an argument that would rule him out of this company, or site his circumstances as being any different from the men who's images now grace the walls of our public buildings and the statues in our parks and town squares.
Because there is no difference.

Ed was vilified by the Irish media when he died. In much the same way, a British soldier killed in Iraq is vilified by the Arab media, while an Iraqi insurgent is vilified by the British. Such is war. Its not black and white.
In 1998, the Irish media again kicked up when Eds image was placed beside other patriots on a poster advertising Gerry Adams famous visit to Vinegar Hill. Gerry rightly refused to apologise for the use of Eds image, as did the organisers.
Shortly afterwards the beautiful Balled of Ed O' Brien was composed by a republican in south Wexford. One singer later told that he had been intimidated while singing the song, and was forced to drop it from his set. Alot of people in Wexford know the words of Boolovogue or Kelly the boy from Killane, but few know the words of the Balled of Ed O' Brien. This should be rectified now.
Today many would like to forget about Ed. They would like to brush his struggle and death under the carpet of political correctness. They would choose to airbrush him out of history as Fianna Fail have airbrushed the assassination of Kevin O' Higgins, and New Labour have have airbrushed their involvement with the OIRA and the death of Seamus Costello.

But Ed is remembered.
A north Wexford SF cumann and a fantastic Republican Flute band are honoured to be named after the Gorey man.
And no matter what happens, no matter how many people we elect to Leinster house, no matter how much nonsense is thrown at us by other "pure" republican groups....we will continue to remember Brave Ed O' Brien.