The Wholesome Photo of the Month Thu May 09, 2024 11:01 | Anti-Empire
In 3 War Years Russia Will Have Spent $3... Thu May 09, 2024 02:17 | Anti-Empire
UK Sending Missiles to Be Fired Into Rus... Tue May 07, 2024 14:17 | Marko Marjanović
US Gives Weapons to Taiwan for Free, The... Fri May 03, 2024 03:55 | Anti-Empire
Russia Has 17 Percent More Defense Jobs ... Tue Apr 30, 2024 11:56 | Marko Marjanović Anti-Empire >>
A bird's eye view of the vineyard
Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb
The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog. We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).
What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are
Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader 2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of
The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by The Saker >>
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony Public Inquiry >>
Voltaire, international edition
Netanyahu soon to appear before the US Congress? It will be decisive for the suc... Thu Jul 04, 2024 04:44 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N°93 Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:49 | en
Will Israel succeed in attacking Lebanon and pushing the United States to nuke I... Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:40 | en
Will Netanyahu launch tactical nuclear bombs (sic) against Hezbollah, with US su... Thu Jun 27, 2024 12:09 | en
Will Israel provoke a cataclysm?, by Thierry Meyssan Tue Jun 25, 2024 06:59 | en Voltaire Network >>
|
'Facts Wrong On Hunger Strike' - Joe O'Neill
national |
miscellaneous |
other press
Friday May 19, 2006 15:36 by Séan
![Report this post to the editors Report this post to the editors](../graphics/report.gif)
Speaking at a meeting of Republican Sinn FČin in Bundoran this week, Joe O'Neill said the leadership of Provisional Sinn FČin had sold out the ideals of the 10 hunger strikers who died in 1981 "with one stroke of a pen." "Political Status. That's what they died for and that's what Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness destroyed in one act," Mr O'Neill said.
Mr O'Neill knew two of the hunger strikers, Martin Hurson, one of the youngest and Francis Hughes "one of the greatest guerilla war fighters of all time" personally and knew the families of all the other men who died.
As the 25th anniversary commemorations for the republican prisoners who died on hunger strike passed Mr O'Neill said, "I would like to point out the lies and the spin that Provisional Sinn FČin and the news media are putting on the hunger strikers of 1981," he told the meeting.
"DaithĚ O'Connell, and not Jim Gibney was the man who who first proposed that Bobby Sands should fight for the Westminster seat in Fermanagh/South TirEoghan," he said.
"At a meeting in Clones around that time, Ruairi " Bradaigh had a very hard time getting Bobby Sands nominated because Gerry Adams and company did not want him to run. They weren't sure he would be elected by the people."
According to Joe O'Neill "In the lead up to nomination day, Noel McGuire had not withdrawn his nomination and Gerry Adams and Danny Morrison wanted Sands to withdraw his. They phoned across the border to " Bradaigh and Daithi O'Connell who were both wanted by the English authorities in the six occupied counties but they said 'no' Bobby Sands was not to be withdrawn," Joe O'Neill explained.
"And we all know who was right in the end," he added.
Mr O'Neill said he hoped the media would realise, once and for all, that newspapers, documentary makers and so-called historical books had their facts wrong, especially now on the 25th anniversary of Bobby Sands' death.
Mr O'Neill also said that Provisional Sinn FČin tried to dissuade republicans from fighting election in the 26 counties. He pointed to the fact four more Sinn FČin members were elected that year, including Joe Rice in Kerry, John Joe McGirl for Sligo/Leitrim, Gareth O'Hanlon in Monaghan and RuairĚ " Bradaigh in Longford --"all on republican policy," Joe O'Neill said.
"The difference between the elections of the 1950s and 1981 was the earlier elections were held in support of the fight for Irish freedom while Provisional Sinn FČin used the fight for Irish freedom to support them getting elected."
Moving on to the Peace Process, Mr O'Neill said, "The three biggest betrayals in the last century was 1921, 1986 and 1998 when the British wanted to talk and were prepared to pay anything to end the war in England. Since 1998, the English have paid wads of money to rehabilitate Provos, for Sinn FČin offices, Stormont wages and expenses so yes, the British paid off Provos."
Joe O'Neill also criticised the Good Friday Agreement as "the day of betrayal of the hunger strikers and what they died for".
"That day Provisional Sinn FČin threw away political status and signed away the rights of Irish men and women to fight for Irish freedom," Mr O'Neill said, "Margaret Thatcher could not break the spirit of the hunger strikers but, Adams and McGuinness did it with one stroke of a pen," he concluded.
|
View Full Comment Text
save preference
Comments (11 of 11)