Play Your Part!!

Joe Dunn
Sinn Fein Republican Youth Committee
Ógra Shinn Fein Doire

“Everyone, Republican or otherwise, has their own particular part to play. No part is too great or too small; no one is too old or too young to do something.” 31 years after his passing, the words of Republican Prisoner, Hunger striker and Member of Parliament Bobby Sands still echo as loudly and as importantly as they did in 1981. The focus of this quote for me is, “No one is too old or too young to do something”. Throughout every phase of struggle the youth of Ireland have always been at the forefront. Previous generations, from The Young Ireland movement in the 1830s, Na Fianna Eireann of the early 1900’s, Sinn Féin Youth of the 1990’s and the countless other Republican youth organisations in the years between, have always been the backbone of the struggle, they have taken a stand and filled the void.

All throughout the past those young republicans who have joined youth movements went on to become leaders, this can now be seen today with many young Republicans in crucial democratic roles, for example, Councillors Colly Kelly, Jack Murray and Elisha McLaughlin; Daithi McKay MLA and Pearse Doherty T.D. Young active Republicans are the future, not only of Sinn Féin, but they are laying the founds for the republican movement as a unified entity and are vital if we are to achieve a United Ireland in the future.

Personally I became active in republican politics in 2010. There were several reasons for my involvement; firstly, coming from a republican household and secondly, attending many republican commemorations. These experiences influenced me in taking an interest in republican politics from a young age. That interest gave me the drive and determination to learn more about Republican history, traditions and culture. The years passed and I was able to see what Ógra activists were doing, I could see from the outset their dedication and competence along with their commitment to the republican struggle. Almost instantly I had aspiration to become that type of activist. Later in 2010 I had attended a number of protests with people who I now value as my comrades. I then joined ÓSF and within weeks I had the honour to speak as a representative of Ógra at an anti-cuts demonstration. Within a number of months I had been elected to the Doire ÓSF Officer board as Campaigns Officer.

I was especially attracted to Ógra Shinn Féin due to the ideologies that underpin OSF. Ideologies including, Republicanism, Socialism, Feminism, Anti-Fascism and Internationalism. Sinn Féin Republican Youth actively stand by these ideals. Republicanism is used in our daily political actions as is socialism. On an international level we have actively campaigned for the Boycott of Israeli goods, the release of Palestinian hunger strikers Khader Adnan and Hana Shalabi. As I type this article a number of Ógra activists are in Palestine as part of a delegation to build links with local communities and education services. We have also been present at demonstrations and rallies across the country on International Women’s day.

Without the on-going support of young republicans nationwide, Sinn Féin Republican Youth would not be able to continue the dedicated work on a daily basis, to echo the words of Gerry Adams T.D, “Get involved with Ógra and make a difference to modern Irish politics.” With that in mind and referring back to Bobby Sands’ quote “No one is too old or too young” I would say now that the time has never been better for young republican minded people to become involved in politics. Sinn Féin Republican Youth is a radical, campaigning, activist based party and is the fastest growing youth wing of any political party in Ireland; we are consistently growing and have new Cumainn and Committees forming on a regular basis.

I call on all young republicans to become involved in any way you can. Be it through SFRY, your local Sinn Féín Cumann, local Republican Flute Band or through one of the many community programmes and youth programmes across the country.

You can play your part! We, the youth of Ireland, are the catalyst for change in this country. We can work together to eradicate division and build an Ireland of equals which will fulfil the aims set out in the Easter Proclamation of the Irish Republic and establish a Republic that, “guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens, and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all the children of the nation equally, and oblivious of the differences carefully fostered by an alien government, which have divided a minority from the majority in the past.”