Two Nations – One Struggle!

Gemma McKenna
QUB Sheena Campbell Cumann
Ógra Shinn Féin

I was in the Catalan Countries last weekend (22nd-24th February) in order to give the ERC Presidential Candidate for the Spanish elections the support of Ogra Shinn Fein.

During the short delegation I was treated with the upmost camraderie which is a reflection on the respect that the Catalan activists have for the republican movement and the Irish struggle.

While there I got the chance on the Friday to go to one of the local districts while they engaged in some election work distributing leaflets, and they added some novelty to the serious business of elections by handing out chocolate and balloons to the kids.

I also got the opportunity to watch the ERC operation in the Catalan parliament in Barcelona, observing the crucial work by party activists in this forum of struggle.




On the Saturday we went to Reus where the ERC Presidential Candidate, Joan Ridao launched his manifesto.

I was pleasantly surprised that it was four other women that give speeches and 1 man chaired. Although they consider their women membership to be low, it’s alot higher than Sinn Féin’s with 33% of the organisation being female. Many of the women are also in positions of power with 2 of their young women activists in the Madrid Parliament.

Maybe we should take a leaf from their book and increase our commitment to recruit and promote more females into Ógra.

Following the launch of the manifesto by Joan Ridao I spoke in support of their presidential candidate and campaign. I not only pledged Ógra’s support for the candidate but also talked of the upcoming Lisbon treaty and the detrimental effect that it would have on the sovereignty of all our small nations.

The delegation was also used as an opportunity to build on the relationship with the people of the Catalan countries and to show our solidarity for their struggle.

It was an eye opening experience for me as I was deeply touched by the welcome I got from our Catalan comrades. Although their was a language barrier, which made it difficult at times to communicate, their commitment for struggle came across in every way.

In a political conversation with one of the young JERC activists, Ricard, I was surprised by the similarities in opinions we shared.

One lesson that I will take from the Catalan delegation is that our struggle is not only important to the Irish people, but to other oppressed nations, who look to us for guidance and support.

It is very humbling to know that people who are fighting for Independence find strength in observing the obstacles that our movement has overcome. We should take inspiration from the confidence that oppressed people from across the world have in our struggle, they support us and believe that soon we shall have our freedom.

The following is the speech delivered at the ERC Presidential candidate launch:

When Ógra Shinn Féin and JERC were in Corti (Corsica), attending an international meeting of student and youth organisations, representing oppressed and occupied nations in Europe.

At the International meeting we discussed the common political realities we face in each of our daily struggles, especially in regards the European Union and the impact of the Lisbon Treaty.

We believe in James Connolly’s view of Europe, ‘a free federation of free people’s’.

We believe in a Europe of democracy, equality and freedom, yet the European Union is trying to erode that.

The European Union does not respect the democratic rights of citizens and small nations. It does not work in support of the native languages of people and it does not tackle the current social inequalities. We as youth in struggle wish to challenge this. .

We believe the Irish and Catalan youth need to make their voices heard that another Europe is possible, a Europe that holds, freedom, equality and democracy as cornerstones.

In Ireland, we have a real opportunity to stand up for the oppressed and marginalised in Europe by rejecting the Lisbon Treaty.

Ógra Shinn Féin are the main political youth wing in Ireland to oppose Lisbon, and as we campaign for the rights of Irish citizens, we also have other oppressed people’s in our thoughts.

In modern times there has been a huge growth of progressive youth movements demanding freedom across Europe, in Corsica, Brittany, Scotland, Sardinia, and the Basque Country.

The Catalan and Irish youth in JERC and Ógra are continuing to grow and organise for freedom, and it will be these young activists that forge the freedom for their countries.

The Irish and Catalan people should be free and sovereign to determine their own future free from foreign interference.

The Catalan Countries should be free, and we the Irish youth in Ógra Shinn Féin pledge our support for the ideas of freedom and equality being promoted by ERC and JERC.

In supporting national independence for the Catalan Countries, Ógra Shinn Féin gives support to the candidature of ERC in the next elections of 9th of March of 2008.