Sinn Fein ard Fheis Photo Essay

by r whelan Mon Jan 29, 2007 22:07

images copyright 2006

by T Russell Tue Jan 30, 2007 14:30

A shameful episode in Irish History.

by R. Isible Tue Jan 30, 2007 15:02

As usual great images from R. Whelan! Was accreditation as a photographer problematic at all?

by r whelan - none Tue Jan 30, 2007 15:16

No but I had to seek accreditation from their press office
rw.

by an goban saor Tue Jan 30, 2007 18:46

What's so shameful about it ? Sure the PSNI are no worse than the Free State police and they even have an Ombudsman. More transparency and accountability than in the 26 county statelet. At least Nuala O Loan was able to publish her report up North. If Sinn Fein see fit to recognise the "Gardai Siochana" down the Free State - given the disgraceful record of that particular "law enforcement" agency and its complete lack of transparency and accountability - then they may as well recognise the PSNI up North.

by Joe McCann Tue Jan 30, 2007 19:33

Most telling comment of the whole lot from McGuiness " The Republican Movement and the IRA fought the British Army/RUC to a standstill. Those who now poor scorn on us haven't even fought them to a start". Me wages on the fact that T.Russell above wouldn't know the smell of gunpowder from curry powder. Shame on those Friday night dissident Republicans who fought the armed struggle over the years from the bars and lounges of the Free State and now find themselves songless. With the new irish shortly bringing us to our senses who gives a monkee's about now non-existent borders. Drive on Progress. Drive on Gerry, Martin and Co.

by Patrick Henry Tue Jan 30, 2007 19:53

Others like the Dark, the Price sisters, Gerry McGeough and many [the numbers are growing] who now oppose McGuinness and Adams fought the Brits to a standstill. McGuinness merely sent them out to do so and in many instances die on active service.

They destroyed all the weapons so that others might not continue and now they administer British Law in the Northern 6 counties.

All this to sit in a Paisley-led Government.

by T Russell Tue Jan 30, 2007 20:08

We fought the Brits to a standstill and yet we continue to surrender to Paisley and Blair's every demand, before we can even administer British rule in Ireland on their behalf.

How do you know what I did, did a member of the PSNI tell you something?

Funny how many have profited from this war. Were they in fact voting for a pay rise?

by Joe McCann Tue Jan 30, 2007 20:16

The Ireland that people fought for is not perfect or free. It's just a better place to live in lately. The reason why is because there is some semblance of peace. People who died in the armed struggle should never be forgotten and they have not died in vain. Justice is coming slowly but surely If the people of all Ireland were polled tomorrow they would resoundingly vote for this peace to be maintained and they are the masters, according to the Procalmation anyway. The Yanks rule the globe , including the Brits so whether a government is Paisley led, Ahern led or Blair led does it really matter?.

by T Russell Tue Jan 30, 2007 20:37

Joe, Ireland is a better place to live in lately for many opportunistic Republicans who have profited from the war. In fact many of them now own homes in Portugal, Turkey and other sunny places outside of Ireland. Where did they get the money? Where did they get the money to buy their own bars? Some even went from workers to owners, where did they get the money?

Is this why they so embrace the Yanks, Brits and other right wing capitalists?

Of course we all desire peace but not a peace that was paid for in monetary terms. There are a lot of Republicans who fought this war like the Dark who chose to remain destitute rather than betray their principles.

by Con Carroll Wed Jan 31, 2007 15:31

I believe this to be a wide sweeping statement
is this coming from Jim Cusack < Sunday Indo> John Mooney < Sunday Times> Sam Smyth ,

see other piece I have wriiten on this issue on indymedia regarding the vote which S F took on Sunday

I always ask myself about those who go on about their days in the Republican movement
who have a political right to disagree with S F leader-ship

1 is it a fact that they cant accept the war is over.
there were people in the Republican movement with access to arms. with it power and esteem.
once the arms were gone this power also went with it

2. that certain people had not been chosen in political leader-ship roles within SF
if they were chosen would they now do what the current leader-ship is doing

there are people who go on about SF political coalition with FF. Gerry Adams, has said that FF are not the part that SF could enter into government with. allow me to repeat what I have written, I am totally opposed to SF doing political business with FF.
I believe in class based political analysis.
if S Fentered into a political relationship with FF in this election 2007. or the next election. if this were to happen. we who are on the left have failed to put across class social analysis. time will tell.

we need to be working politically in opposing the right wing economic political social agenda.
standing with people who are asylum seekers. opposing the racist agenda of Kenny, Rabbitte Mc Dowells dention centres. which is not sexy politics. we also have to stand with people who are economically, socially, and politically alienated. with a strong anti racist political message

I am in disagreement with S F leader-ship relation-ship to the white house in America

by Patrick Henry Wed Jan 31, 2007 18:42

I must say this, Con Carroll, you can sure confuse the hell out of me. I find your comments hard to follow.
You talk about the left and a $inn Fein coalition with FF. Well what could be worse than a Coalition with the DUP in a Paisleyite Government that copper-fastens partition?
What about Adams and McGuinness presenting themselves to the war criminal Bush at Hillsborough, as the left protested outside urging them not to go in? Bush's warmly shook hand then lifted the phone to order the bombing of Men, women and children in Iraq.
What about their regular trips to drown the shamrock at the White house and their association with right wing American Millionaires.
If you think that they won't form a coalition with FF sometime in the future then you'll have believed everything Adams said about the IRA having not gone away or not a bullet not an ounce or even we'll not sit on policing boards until Patton is fully implemented.

Some people would believe anything

by casement fan Wed Jan 31, 2007 20:14

Anyone who still talks about SF and social questions or socialism is lost. I think the vote for policing is long overdue, seems as if it was passed by 95% or something. Isn't that what Saddam got in his last election?

SF arent interested in social transformation. Anyone who has spent time with activists from SF or the republican movement knows that these are not social revolutionaries, they are conservative catholics for the most part. There is no political issue for the leasdership to cooperate with and take their cues from the ruling class, that has been the MO of Adams/McG for decades. People threatening to eat their shoes if they go into coalition with FF should pack their HP sauce. If Bertie came looking Adams would make the deal immediately and claim an insatiable historical imperative to bring the influence of the republican movement to bear on the development of the Island. His party minions would be trotting out the line by sundown. Better to be at the table, right?

The policing thing has kept the poorest and most marginalised commmunities at the mercy of the young toughs in the republican scene for years. these guys are too young to have fought the brits or the cops but they have no problem throwing shapes and intimidating people. Better have real cops than untrained and completely unaccountable bozos running the show.

by Patrick Henry Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:21

I totally agree as I'm sure does every right-minded person that we should have an accountable Police service, but I don't agree with $inn Fein suddenly taking it on board while it is still not accountable and remains the fist of the ruling British classes in Ireland.
Where is the accountability when those RUC/ Branch men who were colluding with Unionist killers will not be even held to account for their actions.
$inn Fein have only taken up the Policing issue because they were forced to by Paisley, the Brits and Adams' future coalition partner, Ahern, just as they were forced to decommission IRA weapons and every other U-turn that in the end got them nowhere but deeper into the mire.

Adams fully realises that if he doesn't get into Government soon that the Brits will pull the plug on the funding which is keeping his party in jobs. He knows that no pay no way and if he has no hold over those who voted in favour of Policing then they will be gone.