- Over the Easter period just past the Sean MacDiarmada 1916 Society Fermanagh held commemorations at the graves of Volunteer Jim Murphy in Derrylin and Volunteer Patrick McManus in Swanlinbar Co, Cavan. Attached are reports on the events in question, courtesy of the organisers.
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Easter Sunday commemoration for Vol. Jim Murphy – Derrylin Co. Fermanagh
A piper led the crowd to the grave of Jim Murphy in Derrylin, where wreaths were laid by the Murphy family, former comrades and Fermanagh 1916 Societies. The Proclamation was read by Pearse McGovern.
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The main oration was delivered by Joe Cox from Teemore, an Ex-Prisoner and lifelong Irish Republican.
Joe stated:
This year marks 41 years since Jim Murphy was murdered at his garage in Corraveigha, only a short distance from where we all stand today. And so it is with a great sense of pride that we gather here every year with his family to honour and remember him.
Joe outlined how Jim Murphy believed strongly in the Proclamation of 1916 and had dedicated his life in the struggle for Irish freedom and Republican politics from an early age. Jim was involved in the IRA Border Campaign in the 1950’s and was interned in Crumlin Road gaol for several years.
Joe spoke of Britan’s ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy in the North and how assassinations by loyalist death squads had not only been encouraged but facilitated – like that of Fermanagh man Jim Murphy. The Murphy family have still not received truth or justice and indeed collusion remains alive and well today, with state forces, the PSNI and the British justice system continuing to cover up for those responsible for his murder 41 years ago.
The piper played Amhran na bhFiann to close proceeding.
Joe spoke of Britan’s ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy in the North and how assassinations by loyalist death squads had not only been encouraged but facilitated – like that of Fermanagh man Jim Murphy. The Murphy family have still not received truth or justice and indeed collusion remains alive and well today, with state forces, the PSNI and the British justice system continuing to cover up for those responsible for his murder 41 years ago.
The piper played Amhran na bhFiann to close proceeding.
Easter Monday commemoration for Vol. Patrick McManus – Kiladuff, Swanlinbar, Cavan
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Kevin Martin spoke stating:
Patrick McManus believed in the Proclamation of 1916, he believed in the words and teaching of those who wrote it, signed it, and who were executed by the British because of it. He believed that the Irish people had the undeniable right to determine the future of their own country without interference from Britain.
The Proclamation of 1916, the wishes of the Irish people in the General Election of 1918 and creation of the First Dail were all answered by Britain with the Government of Ireland Act, denying the will and democratic rights of the Irish people, leading to the War of Independence and partition.
Ireland was thus divided by Britain into a 26-County Free State and a Six-County Northern State. Almost one hundred years on from the Rising and those troubled days, sadly, we have still not achieved our freedom, for which Volunteer Patrick McManus, as so many others, fought and died. So today in 2015, almost 57 years from the death of IRA Volunteer Patrick McManus and almost 100 years since the Easter Rising of 1916, Ireland remains partitioned with six counties still under British rule and administrated by their willing lackeys in Stormont.
And while no one can or should attempt to speak for the leaders of 1916, or say what Patrick McManus would do if he were with us today, what we can say is we know what they stood for when they were alive. They stood for Irish freedom. They believed in the Proclamation of 1916 and the right of the Irish people to a 32-County Irish Republic – nothing LESS was acceptable to them and nothing LESS will be acceptable to us.
So I would call on all present to rededicate ourselves to the principles of the Proclamation as it is the only point of reference Irish Republicans should look to when moving forward towards freedom. And I want to finish with a quote from one of the signatures of the Proclamation, Padraig Pearse, when he said:
"As long as Ireland is unfree the only honourable attitude for Irishmen and Irishwomen is the attitude of Revolt."
Feichdh me aris agus tiocfadh ar la.
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