Peter Daly - Monageers Great Republican Socialist

Irish republicans and socialists of various points of view will gather in Monageer on Saturday the 3rd of September to honour the memory of Peter Daly.

Peter Daly was born in Liverpool on 27 September, 1903. His father was Lar Daly, an active member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. The Daly family returned to Ireland when Peter was just a child. He attended school in the old schoolhouse at Tinnacross and later Monageer. He became an active member of the local unit of Na Fianna Eireann, carrying messages, gathering and hiding arms and organising anti-British protests.

Peter fought for the anti treaty side in the civil war, fiercely opposing the implementation of the treaty and the foundation of the new freestate. He was wounded in battle and spent seventeen months in a freestate gaol. He was only released after going on hunger strike.

Peter found life extremely difficult in post war Ireland. Having fought on the losing side in the civil war, he could not find anyone who would employ him. Like thousands of his comrades, he was forced to emigrate to survive. He went to London where he eventually enlisted in the British army for four years. His service only came to an end when his superiors discovered that he was supplying their arms to the IRA. He promptly returned home where he took up a position as a training officer with the Wexford IRA.

In 1934, Peter joined the Republican Congress, an organisation formed by a group of radical Republicans and intellectuals, including Peadar O’Donnell, George Gilmore, Frank Ryan and Nora Connolly-O’Brien. Peter embraced the non sectarian republican views expressed by the congress. Economic hardship forced him to leave his work with the congress and to return to London where he worked as a labourer on a building site.

In 1936, a military cable led by General Franco attempted to overthrow the democratically elected government of Spain. They were supported by Fascist elements from across Europe. The other nations of Europe and the USA decided to stay out of the conflict as was their international policies at the time. This prompted free loving people from across the globe to enlist in the International Brigades, and to go to Spain to defend democracy. Peter Daly was one of the first recruits.

Peter played a leading role at the battle of Jarama on the 12th of February. He was wounded but was back on the front at Pozo Blanco-Chomora. It was the job of international brigade volunteers there to defend the mercury mines of Almaden which was much coveted by Franco’s allies, Nazi Germany.

During this period one of Peters comrades said the following about him;
“He was the type of leader for whom men would have gone through hell, and his qualities were such that he merited this high regard of his comrades.”

In April 1937, Peter’s unit was transferred to the Basque region to relieve under pressure troops there. Despite being recently wounded again, Peter returned to his unit and was made commander of the British and Irish battalion. Peter’s unit took the fortified town of Quinto after three days of fierce fighting but still had a fortress above the town raining fire down upon them. Peter led an assault on this building and was badly wounded in the stomach. He died in Benicasim Hospital outside Valencia on the 5th of September 1937.

The Monageer Sinn Féin cumann is named in honour of Peter Daly. They have been holding annual commemorations in his honour since 2007, and are part of the organising committee for this year’s non political commemoration.

Wexford TDs claim €54,016 in expenses in first four months

County Wexford's five TDs have claimed an incredible €54,016 in the first four months of the 31st Dail. Fine Gael TD Liam Twomey claimed the largest expenses at €19,683. His Fine Gael colleague and Minister for State Paul Kehoe claimed €6,666. Fianna Fail TD John Browne claimed €14,666, while Labour TD and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin claimed €4000. Independent TD Mick Wallace claimed €9000 in expenses.

TDs currently earn over €90,000 a year but are entitled to claim expenses for rent of public offices, improvements to these offices, accommodation, purchase of stationary, telephone calls, advertising and travel expenses. They may also claim travel expenses for attending conferences relating to their duties. In order to qualify for these perks, they must attend the Dail for 120 days annually.

Deputy Twomeys lavish expenses means that he earned over fifty thousand in the first four months of his term. That roughly works out as the same amount earned by twelve people on the minimum wage. In a time when the government are proposing placing a €200 flat household tax on old age pensioners, TDs are earning the weekly wages equivalent to what fifteen OAPs get. In a time when the fuel allowance is to be cut, wealthy TDs are freely allowed to claim expenses for their telephone calls and stationary.

Isn’t it time that Fine Gael and Labour honoured their pre election promises to end political cronyism by slashing these expenses and reducing the wages of TDs?

Mythen calls for the extension of Presidential voting rights

Cllr Johnny Mythen has called for presidential voting rights to be extended to northern citizens and to the Irish diaspora. The Sinn Féin Councillor said that his party were campaigning for a constitutional amendment to allow for this extension.

Cllr Mythen said;
“Extending presidential voting rights to Irish citizens living in the Six Counties is a natural outworking of the Good Friday Agreement which enshrines the rights of people in the north to Irish citizenship. The President of Ireland is supposed to represent all Irish citizens, so all Irish citizens should have the right to decide who holds that office. The growing Irish diaspora should also have the right to decide.”

“Sinn Féin are currently campaigning for this extension of voting rights and if it requires a constitutional amendment, then this should be put before the people at the earliest opportunity. I would urge Wexford county council to ask any potential candidate who comes looking for their support of their views on extending voting rights to cover all Irish citizens. I would also appeal to the people of County Wexford to make this an issue. Write letters to the papers, text in to your local radio shows and ask the candidates through their websites and facebook pages.”

“Over half a million people hold legitimate Irish pass ports declaring their Irish Citizenship. They can play on the Irish soccer teams, Rugby teams, take part in the All Ireland hurling and football competitions, but cannot vote for an Irish President. Surely we as a democratic Nation should recognise the full rights of all citizens on this Island and amend our constitution to allow a Presidential vote to all thirty two counties.”

Sinn Fein calls for an end of the school uniform monopoly

Cllr Anthony Kelly has said that the growing costs of school uniforms and the very real stress that this is causing among Irish families must be addressed now. The Wexford Councillor said that the Sinn Fein party as called upon the Minister for Education to do everything in his power to bring down the costs of these uniforms.

Cllr Kelly said;
“The cost of sending children to school is putting huge financial burden on thousands of families who are already suffering the effects of the recession. I have been contacted by several worried constituents in the past few weeks. They have all asked me where is the sense in allowing a small number of retailers to hold a monopoly on school jumpers which have the crests emblazoned on them. They ask how anyone can justify this practice which keeps prices so high. The truth is I can’t answer them because I can’t see any sense in it either.”

“This significant cost factor could be transformed overnight if each school provided students with crests for a small cost to be sown onto standard school jumpers. Sinn Féin has been calling for this for some time now, as have the children’s group Barnardos. New figures from Barnardos state that is now costs €350 to equip a child entering primary school rising to €805 for a child entering secondary. Our children’s education and future cannot be sacrificed to keep a cosy monopoly in place.”

Thousands remember hunger strikers in Camlough

Thousands of Republicans from across Ireland gathered in the small village of Camlough nested in the hills of south Armagh yesterday to pay tribute to the sacrifices of the ten martyrs of 1981. Bobby Sands, Francis Hughes, Ray McCreesh, Patsy O’ Hara, Joe McDonnell, Kevin Lynch, Kieran Doherty, Thomas McElwee and Mickey Devine were on the minds of thousands as they followed the procession of banners through the village of Camlough to a beautiful site in the shade of the ring of Gullion.

Along the route they were reminded of terrible events of the past as brilliant choreographed re-enactments showed people scenes of 1981. Whether it was the sight of a diplock court, or protestors clashing with riot police, or a blanket man in silent solitude, the message was clear. These were extraordinary times when normality was anything but normal. Out of these extraordinary times came extraordinary men and women, who stood up against the might of an empire. Among them were ten young men who would die in the ultimate act of self sacrifice.

Could the British government have ever truly believed that thirty years after the deaths of the hunger strikers, thousands would travel from across Ireland to pay tribute to the memory of these martyrs? Or that commemorations for these men would be held in every county, in countless villages across the length and breathe of Ireland? Or that their images would be more recognisable to young Irish people than any other Irish figures of history?

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams told the thousands present that it was the sacrifice of these men and the conditions that they provided for the success of the Sinn Féin strategy that has led to Irish “republicanism being stronger today than at any time since partition.”

“Of course we have a huge job of work to do to persuade unionists of the merits of the republican and democratic position. But we are also in a very good place to do this. Achieving our republican goals will not be easy. While unionist leaders now see the benefits of working on an all-Ireland basis, they remain opposed to a united Ireland. So there is work to be done peacefully and democratically with them. Sinn Féin is up for that work.”

Mr Adams said the British government, “despite its protestations to the contrary, and its systems, has yet to face up to its responsibilities to the people of this island. It can best do this by leaving us to manage our own affairs.

Thomas McElwee Vigil in Enniscorthy

A vigil was held for Derry Hunger Striker Thomas McElwee in Enniscorthy last Monday evening. The 30th anniversary of his death was marked with a silent vigil in the towns market square.

Thomas was only twenty three years old when he died on hunger strike in 1981. He was a cousin of fellow hunger strike martyr Francis Hughes.

Policies of Austerity are failing – Mythen

Cllr Johnny Mythen has said that it is evident now that the policies of austerity implemented by successive governments are failing. Cllr Mythen and Sinn Féin have called upon the government to abandon the failed policies of Fianna Fail and to instead concentrate on a real job creation strategy and much needed reform of the tax system.

“Sinn Féin has long warned that aggressive austerity measures will do more harm than good to our crippled economy,” Cllr Mythen said. “New Central Bank projections released last week show that the government is set to miss almost all of its economic targets, published only a few weeks ago. The Central Bank projections predict that consumer spending will remain below zero in 2012. Is it any wonder when Fine Gael and Labours plans for economic recovery involved removing more money from citizen’s pockets through new taxes, fewer local services and lower wages? The retail industry is already on its knees. How could a monstrosity like the new household charge improve that sectors plight?”

“New figures from the CSO show that unemployment has now reached 14.3%. 447,900 people are now out of work. Of course this figure does not include those who are not entitled to social welfare due to having been self employed or owning land that is probably unsellable. It also fails to include those who have been forced to emigrate. Sinn Féin warned both the previous government and the current one that extreme austerity measures would lead to increased unemployment and emigration. Unfortunately, we were right.”

“It’s time for this government to abandon the failed economic policies of Fianna Fail which they once fervently condemned, and to embrace a progressive, realistic job creation strategy. The government’s jobs initiative failed in comparison to pre election promises from Fine Gael of 100,000 new jobs, and Labours promised €500 million job fund. They must recommit themselves to solving the unemployment crisis. They must also look at progressive taxation and implementing a policy of ‘those who can afford to pay more should do so’. Tax reform must also be addressed as the misuse of taxbreaks by wealthy individuals continues to cost the state revenue in a time when a weekly tax is being placed on old aged pensioners.”

Kieran Doherty remembered in Taghmon

Last Tuesday evening Wexford Republicans gathered in memorial square in Taghmon to pay respect to Kieran Doherty, the Irish Republican Martyr who had died on hunger strike thirty years ago to the day. They gathered beside a monument to three other republican martyrs, James Parle, John Creane and Pat Hogan, who had been executed by freestate forces during the height of the civil war.

Local republican and trade union activist Larry Furlong, who organised the event, was keen to stress the unbroken connection between Parle, Creane and Hogan, and Kieran Doherty. He also urged people to remember how young all four martyrs had been when they died.

Kieran Doherty was twenty five years old when he died on hunger strike in Long Kesh. He lasted 73 days on hunger strike, the longest of the 1981 hunger strikers, and only one day short of Terence MacSwiney.

While on hunger strike he was elected as an Anti H-Block TD for the Cavan–Monaghan constituency at the 1981 general election held in the Republic of Ireland on the 11 June. Doherty was shortest serving Dáil deputy having served as TD for two months. The seats gained by Anti H Block candidates denied Charles Haughey from forming a government and the 22nd Dáil saw Fine Gael and Labour form a government with Garret FitzGerald as Taoiseach.

Sinn Féin condemns government approval of Household Charge

Cllr Anthony Kelly has condemned the government’s decision to introduce a new household charge of €100 as a pre-cursor to water charges and a property tax. The Wexford Sinn Féin councillor has venomously rejected Deputy Paul Kehoe’s suggestion that there is no alternative to this new tax, and has described the new charge has being more than a little similar in delivery to Margaret Thatcher’s first steps at introducing a poll tax in Britain during the 1980’s.

“This charge is yet another form of regressive taxation and will further stifle the conditions necessary for true economic recovery,” Cllr Kelly said. “Once again those who have less have been targeted with extreme austerity measures, while those who can afford to pay more escape with a minor bruise. Last Saturday we learned that welfare cuts and raising the income tax of ordinary workers will be the budgetary strategy of the Fine Gael/Labour government. They are preparing to roll out the same backward measures that they condemned Fianna Fail for implementing last year.”

“The Household charge will see more money drained from the pockets of the majority, leading to further collapse of the local economy. The retail industry will be particularly hard hit. It is clear that the austerity plans employed by this government are failing. In the second quarter of this year GNP was down 4.3 per cent on the previous quarter. There can be no recovery as long as our government insists on slash and burn austerity.”

“Paul Kehoe claimed on South East Radio that there was no alternative to the introduction of this tax. I suggest that Deputy Kehoe look to our proposals of introducing a third band of income tax at 48% on those earning in excess of €100,000 per annum, and placing a 1% wealth tax on those with assets worth more than €1 million, excluding working farmland. I would also ask that County Wexford’s government TDs provide estimated figures for how much revenue is being lost to the state through the misuse of tax breaks, which are being exploited by very wealthy people to increase their fortunes. There is a better, fairer way to run this state.”

“I would have grave concerns that this is the first step in the creation of an Irish poll tax, similar in lay out and cruelty to the hated community tax introduced by Margaret Thatcher in 1989. People need to mobilise and to get onto the streets to oppose this tax. Remember it’s not in yet and people power maybe the only thing that can convince this government to look to a more equivalent system of taxation.”

Kevin Lynch remembered in Wexford town

Cllr Anthony Kelly led a minutes silence at a vigil held in memory of Kevin Lynch this evening in Redmond Square, Wexford town. A large crowd of republicans had gathered to honour the hunger striker who died thirty years ago today.

Kevin Lynch was a twenty five year old republican prisoner from Park, near Dungiven in Derry when he sacrificed his life in the pursuit of basic rights for himself and his comrades. A keen sportsman, his local hurling team was renamed in his honour after his death.

A broad age group of republicans attended the vigil this evening. Some remember full well those terrible days when the hunger strikers were allowed die by two indifferent governments, while others there had not even been born at that time. Nine Sinn Féin cumainn from across the county were represented at the vigil.

Cllr Kelly reminded everyone that Wexford Sinn Féin will be holding a vigil in memory of Kieran Doherty tomorrow evening at 7pm in Taghmon.