Fianna Fáil's "De Valera Day" Interrupted By Anti War Protest / Ennis Judge Insists 2+2=5

clare | anti-war / imperialism | feature

Wednesday October 27, 2004 00:31

by An Púca / Indymedia

flannbui at yahoo dot com

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Two Anti-war activists interrupt Fianna Fáil ceremony by unveiling banner and heckling high profile party members. Questionable behaviour from Youthful FFers follows.

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Oh if this all seems a little fucked up - Don't worry - Terry Leyden sez it's all ok because his nephew is in the US Military . . . .

Two Anti-war activists interrupt Fianna Fáil ceremony by unveiling banner and heckling high profile party members.

Last Sunday marked the first annual "De Valera Day" in Ennis Co. Clare the event was organised by Ógra Fianna Fáil in Clare after Bertie Ahern announced at the National youth Convention that there would be a De Valera day in Ennis every year. The celebrations culminated with a march of Local F.F. Cumainn from O Connel square to the Peoples Park where a Statue of Eamonn De Valera stands infront of the court house wall.

As the ceremony was beginning two local anti war activists stood above the gathering on the court house wall and unveilled a large banner reading "U.S. MILITARY OUT OF SHANNON." and one of the activists began to heckle the speaker by shouting anti war slogans and jibes.A number of high profile Fianna Fáil members includeing the Defence Minister Willie O Dea, Minister O Cúiv, Junior Minister De Valera were standing directly below the protesters. "The Soldiers of Destiny" quickly dispatched four able bodied young men in Suits from Ógra Fianna Fáil who raced up to the courthouse in an effort to silence the two protesters. They came into the courthouse car park and dragged the two down from the low wall while trying to take their banner by physical force and push them out of the carpark. The protesters stood their ground while a photographer from the Clare Champion recorded the fracas. The members of Ógra Fianna Fáil threathened to call the Gardaí. At this point one of the activists informed them that that their actions in trying to prevent the protest by physically accosting the pair and attempting to steal the banner were the only possible criminal events that had taken place. The activists were subsequently left to continue the protest and the four party members quickly returned to the gathering below where they proceeded to call the Gardaí. A few minutes later two Gardaí arrived in a squad car but did not take an immediate interest in the anti-war demonstration. The Gardaí only spoke to the protesters at the very end of the event to tell them that they "didnt mind them being there but if you continue to shout I will arrest you for a breach of the peace". The heckeler in question asked the Garda if he would consider arresting the members of Fianna Fáil who were shouting back. The Garda did not respond. The F.F. ceremony then ended and the two activists left.

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Comments (12 of 12)

Dev's honour

by Francis - Dublin Catholic Worker

Tue Nov 02, 2004 00:03

It is indeed ironic that members of the current government would turn up at a ceremony dedicated to a man, who in face of the threat of invasion by Britain, refused to compromise Irelands neutrality by allowing British military to use our ports during WW2. This despite the fact that the war was against Hitler, a man who had invaded another country and was at the time threatening to invade others.
Compare this to the spinless current cabinet and backbench members of fianna fail, who have stripped us of our neutrality to help an illegal war by a leader who was elected in dubious circumstances against a country who were a threat to no one.

Had Dev been there he would have been part of the protest!!!

hey madam - mebbe they were trained by

by eeekkk

Mon Nov 01, 2004 18:53

www.kravmagaireland.com in 24 hours

T he Black Hand

by Michael Gallgher

Mon Nov 01, 2004 18:30

mglibertypics at hotmail dot com

All F.F. minders are trained in martial arts. Probably in preparation for the day of martial law - and it will happen.
The fall before the rise.

Press report of Sundays protest in Ennis

by An Púca

Thu Oct 28, 2004 16:58

The front page of todays Clare Champion features a front page article reporting the events of Sundays "De Valera Day" protest entitled "Fighting for the long fellow".

The article begins:-
"Bertie Aherne may have been missing from the inaugural Eamonn De Valera Day commeration in Ennis last Sunday but his boys werent-these were the members of Beties Youth that took to fighting for the long fellow. They fought over peace activists who dared to exercise their democratic right to protest. Dev himself may have held this principle dearly during his career but the same values didnt extend to members of berties touth. In an act more keeping with totalitarianism than democracy three members of Ógra Fianna Fáil stormed two peace activists who were determined to make their presence felt."..............

The article then goes on to give an account of the proceedings and finishes with a quote from F.F. Cllr Reidy who was involved in trying to stop the protest by force. "They have a right to protest at the right place and the right time-not on a day when you are celebrating the past and celebrating De Valera". Obviously freedom of speach is only allowed when a member of Fianna Fáil is speeking!

The article is accompanied by a photo of Cllr Joe Reidy and a member of Ógra Fianna Fáil trying to remove the two protesters by force.
Im afraid that i dont have the technical means or know how to upload these but im sure the article and photo will appear on the Clare champion page "www.clarechampion.ie" when it is updated for the new edition.
If someone could attach them to this thread I would be very appreciative. Thank you.

Is míse
An Púca

Nice Work

by Starstruck - DGN

Thu Oct 28, 2004 14:32

Nice work clare activists,good action!
The struggle continues against aAmerican Imperialism,war and the Irish complicity in it.
Good luck Mary Kelly!

by I - ball

Thu Oct 28, 2004 11:43

"Poor oul Dev must be spinning in his grave to think that todays young FFers wont even throw a few digs at a couple of lefties to protect his honour, what was it all for Eamonn?"

Actually, the protest was pointing out the hypocrisy of O'Dea and Cowen turning up to commomerate Dev, who had helped create the Irish Constitution which current Fianna Fail ministers are ripping up.

Dev's honour was not attacked at all. Cowen was accused of betraying Dev.

Congratulations!

by Henry Joy

Wed Oct 27, 2004 17:51

Congratulations to the two protesters. This is what democracy is all about. The only dissappointing aspect of the story is that the young FFers ran off when threatened with the Gardaí - obviously their convictions dont run to a conviction!
Poor oul Dev must be spinning in his grave to think that todays young FFers wont even throw a few digs at a couple of lefties to protect his honour, what was it all for Eamonn?

Clueless

by Nonsense

Wed Oct 27, 2004 12:54

kb what are you going on about "today its usually the provo's" utter nonsense. Maybe you should keep your comments to yourself or at least until you have something intelligent to say.

Censoring

by Pots and Kettles

Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:39

Surely these here FF lads were censoring the right to Free Speech of the anti-war activists?

So where are all the liberals and thinly masked fascists who are mewling over on other threads about poor wee Justin in UCD?

Stated backed violence - oh yeah, well... It is OK - the attackers were in suits, or uniforms.

FF always had little heavy squads handy and if they could isolate protesters away from the media attacks would take place - especially at Ard Fheisana or in the event of a protest at FF HQ or such.

well..

by bagpuss

Wed Oct 27, 2004 00:13

Just dont forget, as of next week you might have to change your banners to say "stop *kerrys* war" - dont you fucking love electoral democracy.

devalera protest.

by kb. - republican.

Tue Oct 26, 2004 23:43

Fianna fail always did have. In the 1940's it was the Broy Harriers. Today it's usually the provos. Had those two boyo's been protesting against British troops Gerry Adams Ton Ton Macoute militia would have come in handy.

Well Done!

by The Black Hand

Tue Oct 26, 2004 22:24

I didnt realise Fianna Fail had a private army to deal with protest.

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Fianna Fáil's "De Valera Day" Interrupted By Anti War Protest / Ennis Judge Insists 2+2=5

Comments (12 of 12)