Today The Pensive Quill carries an appeal from guest writer Martin Óg Meehan. He and a group of republican colleagues have commited to making right the grave of IRA volunteer Joseph O'Connor, desecrated in a recent attack.
A chairde,
I'm writing to you regarding the recent destruction of Volunteer Joe O'Connor's grave in Belfast. The destruction has caused untold damage not only to the grave, but also to the entire O'Connor Clann as well as, the wider Republican community in the city.
The killing of Joe-Joe in 2000 as well as, constant attacks on family members homes and now the destruction of his grave, is the latest in a long line of crimes against the O'Connor family. A number of Republicans and I have met with the O'Conor Clann since the incident and they have given us permission to act on their behalf to have the grave restored.
As such, we are asking for financial help in order to have the grave fixed, so that Joe-Joe can rest in peace and his family can find some solace when they visit his final resting place. For those of you who are members of aPolitical Party or Group, could you pass this on to your Executives?
Amounts donated would be very welcome and acknowledged and can be sent to myself:
Martin Óg Meehan,
217 Falls Road,
Belfast.
BT14 6FB.
Go Raibh Mhaith Agat,
Is Mise,
Martin Óg Meehan
Is é gáire ár gcuid páistí a bheas mar dhíoltas againn
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Good luck Martin I know you will rebuild vol J O Connors grave,can you put up a picture of the damaged grave I seen it in the Irish News I think it would let people know what sort of mindlees thugs we have here,
ReplyDeleteAny desecration of graves seems perverse. A while back it happened to graves in the plot at Milltown. It was wrong then and it is wrong now whoever was behind it.
ReplyDeleteIs it 'mindless thuggery' or was this grave singled out on purpose?
ReplyDeletejmmcallister
ReplyDeleteI would hasten to say, I very much doubt this to be thuggery, Marian gave the oration at Joe joe's grave side, she is still interned,this family is being hounded, seems not all weapons were decommissioned, but, saying that , Im sure the psni/ruc turned a blind eye. The O' Connor family needs help.
really dont understand the intricasies of all thats going on here at this stage. But it looks nasty.
ReplyDeleteThere is something particularly vile about someone who would destroy a grave.
ReplyDeleteI go to my parents grave every week and I cannot imagine what it would be like to have it damaged to any extent.
I think cowardly and vindictive sums it up.
Nuala,
ReplyDeleteI agree. My parents were cremated so there is no actual graves to go to but I can see how anybody would feel about the grave of a loved one being desecrated.
I think Joe O'Connor's grave has been desecrated a couple of times. I have no idea who is behind the attacks but their motives are hardly honourable ones.
I recall being at funerals in Roselawn and then dandering around the place and seeing the graves of cops and loyalists. I would no more have thought of damaging them than I would have thought of damaging our own.
Graves to me are a neutral space.
I don't agree with John McGirr that we should necessarily respect the dead but do feel we should simply leave the dead we don't respect alone.
I agree AM. I have often wondered around carnmoney grave yard, which is littered with ruc/ loyalist graves. Not once did it ever cross my mind to damage a grave. But if the truth be told, it did cross my mind that its a pity there wasn't more of them buried there.
ReplyDeletehaha john paul loved that comment. a classic no matter what the politically correct who post here say about it
ReplyDeleteJohn Paul,
ReplyDeleteif it wasn't for wit and black humour it would be a dull old place. Had the same thoughts myself many a time
John Paul.
ReplyDeleteYour just like your Da, and , Your Late Granda, full of wit, ive never been through Carnmoney Grave yard, but then again, I have the utmost respect for any burial place, even though carnmoney should have been filled up.
Do you know my family itsjustmacker?. There's me thinking I was anonymous..........
ReplyDelete