Urging young republicans to attend, chair of the Máiread Farrell youth committee Eoin McShane Said;
“The story of Joe McDonnell is one of a highly-politicised republican revolutionary soldier who valued his commitment to oppose the occupying armed forces of Britain more than his own life. On May 9th 1981 Joe became the fourth IRA volunteer to join the hunger-strike for political status – replacing his close friend and comrade Bobby Sands. Like myself Joe was born and reared in the Falls Road area of West Belfast before moving to Andersonstown with his wife Goretti where they lived in a house in the lower Lenadoon area.
As an active republican prior to his arrest in October 1976, Joe was a very popular & respected man who was considered to be a deep-thinking individual with a gentle, happy go-lucky personality. He was regarded as a highly capable Volunteer who did what he had to and never talked about it afterwards.
His sheer determination and commitment to the struggle never altered. This was best demonstrated when he was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment, along with 3 other IRA volunteers, for possession of a single revolver. He joined the blanket protest without question and refused to be criminalised by the prison authorities, seeing his family only after he commenced his hunger strike.
In June 1981, Joe narrowly missed out on election to the Free State government for the Sligo/Leitrim consitiuency, being only 315 votes short of the quota. Despite the disappointment, the impact of the election both inside and outside the H-Blocks was huge.
In the early hours of July 8th 1981, Óglach Joe McDonnell, after 61 agonising days without food, died rather than be criminalised by the british establishment.
31 years on and in the same streets of Belfast where Joe grew up republicanism is as strong as ever. Like myself, hundreds of other young republican activists across Ireland, draw a great deal of inspiration and motivation from great republican revolutionaries like Joe McDonnell”.
Lenadoon Commemoration Committee – Joe McDonnell Weekend of Events
Football & Hurling Juvenile Tournament, Saturday 7th July, 11am – 2pm, Lamb Dhearg GAA Club
His sheer determination and commitment to the struggle never altered. This was best demonstrated when he was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment, along with 3 other IRA volunteers, for possession of a single revolver. He joined the blanket protest without question and refused to be criminalised by the prison authorities, seeing his family only after he commenced his hunger strike.
In June 1981, Joe narrowly missed out on election to the Free State government for the Sligo/Leitrim consitiuency, being only 315 votes short of the quota. Despite the disappointment, the impact of the election both inside and outside the H-Blocks was huge.
In the early hours of July 8th 1981, Óglach Joe McDonnell, after 61 agonising days without food, died rather than be criminalised by the british establishment.
31 years on and in the same streets of Belfast where Joe grew up republicanism is as strong as ever. Like myself, hundreds of other young republican activists across Ireland, draw a great deal of inspiration and motivation from great republican revolutionaries like Joe McDonnell”.
Lenadoon Commemoration Committee – Joe McDonnell Weekend of Events
Football & Hurling Juvenile Tournament, Saturday 7th July, 11am – 2pm, Lamb Dhearg GAA Club
8-a-Side Soccer Tournament, 2pm – 5pm, Lenadoon Pitches
Wreath lying ceremony, 7pm @ Roddys. Main Speaker – Raymond McCartney MLA. Followed by a function featuring ‘Killashandra’
White line picket, 1pm @ Connolly House
The Mairéad Farrell Youth Committee would encourage all young republicans to support these events.
1 comment:
Well said Eoin, hope a bigger turnout than last yr.
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