Kilkenny Republican Sinn Féin

national | miscellaneous | news report Saturday December 08, 2007 19:58 by Des Dalton - Republican Sinn Fein saoirse at iol dot ie 223 Parnell St Dublin 1 01 8729747

Picket for Republican prisoners in Kilkenny City

Kilkenny Republican Sinn Féin held a very successful picket in Kilkenny city on Saturday December 8. The picket was held at the Town Hall on High St between 1pm and 2.30pm. Members of Kilkenny Republican Sinn Féin were joined by Republicans from Waterford, Wexford and Kildare.
Leaflets were handed out explaining the situation of the Republican prisoners in Maghaberry, whilst copies of the Republican paper SAOIRSE were sold. Addressing the crowd Republican Sinn Féin Vice President Des Dalton, Kildare, said that the Republican prisoners in Maghaberry were locked in a struggle to vindicate the right political status for which Bobby Sands and his comrades died on hunger strike in 1981.

“These rights, won on the back of the sacrifice of Republican prisoners since 1917 were signed away by the Provisionals in 1998 when they signed the Stormont Agreement, the Republican prisoners in Maghaberry are in a struggle against the latest attempt by Britain and native collaborators to criminalise Republican prisoners and by extension the historic struggle for Irish freedom,” Des Dalton said.

The chairperson of Kilkenny Republican Sinn Féin Ger Foran said that as long as there was British rule in Ireland it would be met by resistance: “That is the lesson of Irish history, the fact that in 2007 there are Republican prisoners in Maghaberry and Portlaoise prisons testifies to this” he said.

Emmet Gladney, a member of the executive of Kilkenny Republican Sinn Féin said that Republican prisoners are in British and 26-County jails: “Because they refuse to recognise British courts, British laws, accept British money or British rule in any shape or form. They are in jail because they are loyal to the 32-county Irish Republic.”