Léargas: A Podcast by Gerry Adams Gerry Adams

It time to recognise the State of Palestine

In 2014 Sinn Féin brought forward a Dáil motion calling on the government to “officially recognise the State of Palestine, on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital …”

I was part of this initiative. It got support from other TDs from other parties and none. It was not opposed by the Government at that time. Following a two day debate the motion was passed. This meant that ten years ago both Houses of the Oireachtas supported the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination - to a Palestinian state. This was a positive development. The Government should have acted on this imperative. It refused to do so. I raised this refusal regularly with successive Taoisigh. 

Every Taoiseach since then refused to deliver on the will and direction of  the Oireachtas. They would not  act on this imperative. Instead they argued that recognition  of a Palestinian state remained contingent on a deal with Israel to a two state solution. In reality Enda Kenny, Micheál Martin, Leo Varadkar gave the state of Israel a veto over the right of the Palestinian people to a Palestinian state.

Seán Mackel and the County Antrim Memorial. 

Following my tribute last week to Seán Mackel Dr Tom Hartley has written to me about Seán’s role in designing the County Antrim Memorial in Milltown Cemetery. This memorial  is under the care of the National Graves Association, Belfast. There are thirty four IRA Volunteers buried in this plot. It was originally called the Tom Williams plot, because money raised by the Tom Williams Gaelic Athletic and Camogie club bought the plot. The club was founded by republican prisoners in A Wing, Crumlin Road Jail who wanted to reserve a grave in this plot for the remains of Tom Williams, a young republican hanged in Crumlin Road Jail in 1942.

 Rights in a New Ireland

The issue of rights is at the heart of the conversation on a new Ireland. Sinn Féin’s Commission on the Future of Ireland which has been holding successful Peoples Assemblies across the island over the last 18 months, will host ‘Rights in a New Ireland’ on Friday 3rdMay, in St Comgall’s – Ionad Eileen Howell, Divis Street, between 11.00am – 1.00pm

Expanding the debate on Unity
A recent report - "Northern Ireland Subvention: Possible Unification Effects" - published by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) caught the headlines. It contained the startling claim that Irish Unity could cost the South up to €20 billion annually. It was grist to the mill of those who oppose unity.
Before the day was out contrary and critical opinions of the report began to emerge with other senior economists criticising it for its failure to acknowledge that a united Ireland will not have responsibility for much of the subvention and that the amounts involved are significantly smaller. 
Whatever one’s view of the merits of the IIEA report it succeeded in creating a debate around the shape of a future economy for the island of Ireland and that is a good thing. It highlighted the absence of any planning by the Irish government and reinforced the call for a Citizens’ Assembly to discuss future constitutional arrangements.

Celebrating 100 years
Last week I travelled to South Armagh with a large bunch of flowers to join the family of Maisie Moley in celebrating her 100th birthday. Maisie is a fresh, sprightly centenarian – the matriarch of the large Moley family. She and they were in great form as we pushed back the furniture for the obligatory photographs and all joined in the singing of Lá Breithe Shona Duit.

Keep supporting Palestinian people
As the world holds its breath waiting on the outcome of the current face-off between Iran and Israel and the potential for a regional war, the slaughter of innocents continues in the Gaza strip and on the west Bann. 
Two weeks ago Israel destroyed part of the Iranian consulate in the Syrian Capital of Damascus. Senior Iranian officials were killed. Last weekend, after giving a 72 hour warning of its intention to respond, several hundred drones and missiles were launched by Iran against military targets in Israel. Iran has said that it has now concluded its response. But has Israel? 

Up Antrim! 

24 years ago  I wrote a short piece for Antrim 2000. I discovered it this week when I was clearingout three decades of accumulated books, newspaper clippings and assorted  pamphlets. The 2000 reflection on Gaelic games is reproduced below. Since then much has changed in the  Gaeldom. The most important change is probably the growth of womens football. Until recent times women were confined to Camogie. Now Ladies Football is the fastest growing Gaelic game. 

The Glory Of Gaelic 2000.

“My first love is hurling. That includes Camogie. Although there are those who will argue that the camógs play a different game. I think they play a better game. Then comes football which is mainly a kind of sport to keep hurlers fit. Handball is much under-rated and I am too out of condition now to even think of competing, though I know some aged Belfast men who are still up to championship standard.

Lá Breithe Shona Duit  Abdullah Ócalan

The Good Friday Agreement was 26 years old on Wednesday, 10 April. For almost all of that time Abdullah Öcalan, a founder of the Kurdistan Worker’s Party, has been in prison in Turkey. There is a mural to Abdullah on the international wall in Northumberland St. April 4 was his 75th birthday.

Six months of Hell

This week marks six months from the attack by Hamas on southern Israel and Israel’s vengeful genocidal response to that. October 7 was wrong but it didn’t happen in a vacuum.

Since 1948 when Palestine was forcibly partitioned and three quarters of a million Palestinians were forced to flee their homes, the Israeli state has further occupied the west Bank, for a time the Gaza Strip, built illegal settlements on Palestinian land and imposed a brutal apartheid regime.

Special Rapporteur criticises Irish government on Gaza
Fifteen years ago this month I led a Sinn Féin delegation on a visit to the occupied Palestinian territories. Our visit took place seven weeks after Israel’s assault on Gaza between 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009. In that attack Israeli forces killed 1400 Palestinians, including more than 400 children and injured thousands more. Schools and hospitals and infrastructure were also targeted. 
Our delegation was impressed by the resilience of those we met and especially by the medical staff who were working hard to provide a health service, despite Israeli restrictions on medicines and spare parts for radiation and other medical equipment.

Lá Breithe Áras Uí Chonghaile
Áras Uí Chonghaile, the James Connolly Visitor Centre, on the Falls Road celebrated its fifth birthday at Easter.  Located in the very heart of West Belfast’s Gaeltacht Quarter it was opened five years ago by Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D Higgins and Labour and Trade Union leaders from Ireland, the USA, Canada, England, Wales and Scotland.
I frequently visit the Áras, as it is affectionately known. It celebrates the life and times of Labour leader James Connolly who was executed by the British for his part in the 1916 Easter Rising. It commemorates the key role he played in the struggle for workers rights, the Labour movement and Irish freedom.

Leo finally made the right call

LEO Varadkar’s resignation from the office of An Taoiseach and as leader of Fine Gael caught observers by surprise. On reflection, however, it is very much in keeping with his personality. A bit petulant. Awkward. Impulsive. He had done his best by his own lights. And his best had not been good enough, by his own admission. So in fairness he probably did the right thing. Better to get out on his own terms. 

The heartbreak of it all: 

THE million and a half Palestinians trapped in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, are under sustained and ruthless attack by Israeli forces. Hundreds of women, children and men are being killed or severely wounded each day. Hospitals crammed full of desperate human beings continue to be the target of bomb and tank and sniper attack.

 Moore Street conference a huge step forward:

UACHTARÁN Shinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald TD, in association with the Moore Street Preservation Trust, will hold a major international conference next month to discuss the future development of the Moore Street 1916 battlefield site. The main focus of the conference will be on the alternative plan prepared by the Trust to that of the proposals from the private developer Hammerson.

Wear An Easter Lily

I did not think Easter is almost upon us. It was our oldest lad’s oldest lad who remarked to me that Easter was early this year. I was bemused that a nine - almost ten - year old would know this and describe it in these words. Of course he is probably thinking of Easter eggs. For many people Easter also marks an important date in their religious calendar. But for children especially – and for many adults – it is all about Easter Eggs. These come in all shapes and sizes and prices and despite the cost of living crisis confronting many families chocolate eggs will be devoured in most homes this Eastertide. 

For Irish republicans Easter holds a special significance. It is synonymous with the 1916 Easter Rising and the heroism over a century ago of those who rose up against the British Empire and declared for a Republic

Moore St. Raffle

On Easter Saturday the draw for the Moore St. 1916 Robert Ballagh print will take place. The print is one of a limited edition of 200 that was produced last September by the Moore St Preservation Trust

Clíodhna. 

It isn’t easy speaking in public and it can be very daunting when faced by a hostile audience who are not interested in what you have to say but simply want to shout you down. Belfast Councillor Clíodhna Nic Bhranair faced this challenge last weekend and demonstrated enormous strength of character when confronted by a section of people at the pro-Palestinian march in Belfast who chose to ignore what she had to say and tried to drown her out with whistles and boos.