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United Ireland rallies planned for UK and US
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Sinn Fein is to hold major conferences in the US and UK to rally support among the Irish Diaspora for a united Ireland.
At the party's celebrations to mark the Dail's 90th anniversary, president Gerry Adams said the meetings were designed to drum up international support.
The party chief said the Ireland of today was not the state dreamed of by the 1916 leaders as partition had politically and economically stunted its potential.
"There are tens of millions of people across the globe who can proudly trace their lineage back to Ireland," Mr Adams said.
"Sinn Fein will be inviting Irish-America to discuss with us how we can advance a united Ireland campaign.
"Our intention is to engage with the Diaspora and seek to marshal its political strength."
Mr Adams said there was considerable goodwill in the US for a united Ireland and the party would be focusing its efforts this year on the vast Irish/American population.
Two major conferences will be held in the summer, although dates and locations have yet to be finalised.
A third conference is also planned for London early next year, with activists already lobbying Irish communities, MPs and trade unionists across England, Scotland and Wales.
"Now is the time to promote a united Ireland as desirable, viable and achievable in this generation through peaceful and democratic methods," Mr Adams said.
He insisted the party would reach out to unionists to ensure they are comfortable and secure in a new united Ireland.
The party today staged a major event at Dublin's Mansion House marking the sitting of the first Dail.
The Dail was yesterday forced to mark the event a day early because Sinn Fein had booked the venue.
The first parliament lasted just two years and met 21 times in private houses and hotels - always under the threat of police raids.
Sinn Fein won 73 seats in the 1918 general election followed by 26 for unionist parties and six for the Irish Parliamentary Party.
Many of the two million voters were casting their ballots for the first time.
The first shots in the War of Independence were fired on the same day the first Dail sat.
Sinn Fein organised a day-long series of events to mark the momentous occasion, including a photographic exhibition and historical walking tours of the Mansion House and surrounding streets.
The party also published a commemorative pack, to be sent to schools around the country, containing reproductions of the documents adopted by the first Dail.
Mr Adams launched a stinging attack on the Government over its handling of the economy, claiming wealthy bankers and property developers were protected while the old, sick and young had been targeted.
"Sinn Fein warned, time and time again, that this Government was mismanaging the economy," Mr Adams said.
"Let me make it clear: this mess is not the fault solely of Brian Cowen.
"It is the fault of successive governments and taoisigh."
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Comments
37 Comments
Peter "i would be prepared to have belfast as the capatil of this new united ireland and change the flag"
Interesting views. Why don't you canvass opinion amongst your family, pals, work/school colleagues etc to see what kind of tolerance they would have for your proposals above?
Posted by mickey | 26.01.09, 15:13 GMT
i think the future of this island will be a lot better united,and now with the recession nows the time for an all ireland economy two seperate ones dont work.the ulster people would have a lot more say in a united ireland than they have in the uk. i would be prepared to have belfast as the capatil of this new united ireland and change the flag if it makes my fellow country men more comfortable. i understand that people of the north feel british but i dont think that would change in a united ireland it just makes more sense
Posted by peter | 26.01.09, 11:51 GMT
ray is a good explain why this is a waste of time and money, i am a catholic and at most times a sf voter.. However, as paulo was getting at, not every catcholic wants a United ireland, but wants whats best for the people of ROI and NI as a whole... if asked for a united ireland tomorrow i would say No. because, it is simply not the best of the people. however, if in years down the line it is the forward and economical good for the the people then yes. Simple. it is a shame there is to much ignorants in this island and world wide to see that.
Posted by down2009 | 24.01.09, 12:54 GMT
If you read between the lines of what Gerry is doing he is basically admitting his 'campaign' for a united ireland has failed on this island. now he has to go crying to the usa to try to get his way as he has failed here
Posted by kenneth | 23.01.09, 17:41 GMT
Ray, that would be 'our' lifetime - obviously your American is as bad as your Irish or maybe you don't speak Irish. In fact, have you ever been to Ireland? Leprechauns don't actually exist. As for a Catholic majority in the 'north part of Ireland' - there probably will be soon. But you are so ignorant, arrogant to assume that every Catholic wants a United Ireland. When your Israeli-loving country has stopped torturing prisoners, sending weapons to child-murderers, apologised for Vietnam, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Iraq etc, then you can voice opinions on a democratic country like Northern Ireland. Geographically, roll on the unification of northern America, from the Panama canal to Vancouver - of course the majority language will then be Spanish.
Posted by Paulo | 23.01.09, 12:47 GMT
How fitting there are 32 comments on this particular story (well 33 now, I've ruined it)
Posted by Barry | 23.01.09, 12:23 GMT
One peninsula, one landmass, the day Spain & Portugal unites will be a joy to me as an Spain & Portugal "addicted".
I am a Northern Irishman who is very fond of the Iberian Peninsula, its music, traditions, people, sports, literature, sightseeings, accents etc. Have travelled two it several times and even proposed to my (future then) wife in the Algarve.
No matter the origin, language, creed, thinking, ethnicity, colour (red or maroon) politics, people from the Peninsula is part of the same community, shares the same soil, the same fields, the same common past and the same common future.
A united Peninsula, in case it occurs, must not have victors or loosers, "everyone is invited".
Permission to state my opinion! Spite being a foreigner, consider myself quite an "expert" on Iberian matters, I know the history and present very well. Have visited both Spain & Portugal on numerous occasions.
Greetings from Northern Ireland, Mickey
Posted by mickey | 23.01.09, 11:00 GMT
Centaur "How can they (Americans) be expected to make decisions on our future"
They can't. Irish-Americans, Irish-Australians, Irish-Colombians etc etc - what they think will make not one bit of difference.
Why?
Simple. They do not get a vote.
Your efforts are a waste of time Gerry and do nothing but keep the monkey (hardline Republican dissidents) off your back for a few more weeks until your next pitiful 'campaign' in about 3 or 4 weeks time.
zzzzz
Posted by mickey | 23.01.09, 10:50 GMT
Ray, USA - you don't read the papers, do you? Scotland's banking industry has collapsed and so has the oil price. Scottish nationalism collapsed simultaneously.
Posted by neil | 23.01.09, 10:34 GMT
One People, one Nation, one Ireland, the day this eventually happens will be a joy to me as an Ireland "addicted".
I am a portuguese man who is very fond of the island of Ireland, its music, the traditions, the people, the sports, the literature, the sightseeings, the accents etc. Have travelled around five times and even proposed to my (future then) wife sitting on the top of Giant's Causeway last August.
No matter the origin, the language, the creed, the thinking, the ethnicity, the colour (orange or green), the politics, people from the island is part of the same community, shares the same soil, the same fields, the same common past and the same common future.
An united Ireland, in case it occurs, must not have victors or loosers, "everyone is invited".
Permission to state my opinion! Spite being a foreigner, consider myself quite an "expert" on irish matters, I know the history and present very well. Have visited all the 32 counties!!
Greetings from Portugal
Rui
Posted by Rui, from Portugal | 23.01.09, 09:55 GMT
If this famous Diaspora actually cared, they'd take an Israeli approach and move here in sufficient numbers to influence voting. They haven't.
Posted by neil | 23.01.09, 08:53 GMT
There's no harm in a rally or two but unity can only come after clear consent from the people who live in the six counties, and if those in the twenty six counties actually want us.
Posted by patrick | 23.01.09, 05:42 GMT
as the people of THE ROI have rightfully spurned SF time and time again maybe gerry should just sit and look stupid than open his mouth and remove all doubt.course those who disagree with him have the right to voice their opposite opinion to the people of the UK and the USA.....does he honestly believe the irish citizens really want what it will bring to them, just to satisfy his ego.
Posted by billy | 23.01.09, 04:25 GMT
So the bearded guy KNOWS he will NEVER NEVER NEVER acheive his aims by relying on the people who live in the countries involved; so he has to rally support from his 'irish/american' cousins (most of whom have never set a foot in either of the countries and if you ask them they think the south is STILL going around in donkey and cart with thatched rooves on our whitewashed quaint cottages. Get real Gerry, It'll never happen in your time so just put it to rest.
Posted by Stuart | 23.01.09, 00:08 GMT
I agree. What good is it to get the USA involved? why is it anything to do with them? I have plenty of family in Northern Ireland and it will always be my home, so I feel justified saying, it should be a matter for the people of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the UK to decide. It doesnt involve anyone else so why does their opinion count? Northern Ireland and its people have been through enough to be able to decide what is best for them!
Posted by ex pat | 22.01.09, 23:58 GMT
Gerry is organising to lobby people who do not vote here and don't live anywhere in Ireland, yet he is committed to the principle of consent which both states in Ireland have democratically agreed. He certainly doesn't give a toss about convincing unionists whom SF / IRA for years tried to wipe out militarily and now that they are all peace-loving.....
It all looks more like a sop to the hardliners that he's still trying for their day-dreams, window-dressing for outsiders so that he can blame unionists as intransigen or rejectionist,
Posted by KP | 22.01.09, 23:37 GMT
There wont be any change in Northern Ireland's constitutional position within the UK without the principle of consent of the majority of people in NI wanting it. Maybe gerry should be reminded of what his party and supporters voted for?
Posted by Gareth | 22.01.09, 23:22 GMT
The Americans don't count. If the Irish Americans love their wee island so much, then tell them to go back, and vote properly, because their word means nothing from America. It is up to the true Irish who where born and bred in Ireland North and South to decide their future, and no one else.
Posted by canuck | 22.01.09, 22:25 GMT
It is up to SF if they want to do this - but perhaps unionists should organise something similar not only in the province but on the mainland as well!
The constitutional position is supposed to be settled. If SF are trying to undermine that, they can not be surprised if unionists take political action in response.
Posted by Alex | 22.01.09, 22:15 GMT
Maybe Gerry Adams should drum up support from the people who live in Northern Ireland, they are the people he needs to impress and wasting time and money globetrotting in this time of credit crunch doesn't impress me!
Posted by Louise | 22.01.09, 20:39 GMT
37 Comments