I am a REAL Irish Republican
Monday, February 27th, 2006The scenes in Dublin City on Saturday 25th February 2006 were disgusting to say the least.
The city of Dublin will recover, however. Tourism may be damaged but in time it will soon be forgotten. The Loyalist marchers did not for one second assume that the actions were representative of the Irish state and so cross border links (what few working ones there are) will not be really affected. The aim of a United Ireland may have suffered some damage, but perhaps a further delay in what is in reality a pipe-dream will not be an entirely bad thing.
There is one victim, however, that will not be fixed in the long or short term without immediate action. It is a problem that has festered for years but was explicitly exposed in the Irish capital last weekend for all to see. It is a problem that political parties have tried to resist and that most Irish people give little heed to. It is the destruction of our name and our flag at the hands of extremists.
The word Republican is now connected to SF/PIRA not to supporters of the Irish Republic. The tricolour is becoming a symbol of Sinn Fein and its beliefs rather than the neutral identifier of this country. Ironically, people draped themselves in the Irish tricolour as they violently opposed a Unionist march, ignorant of the true meaning of the three colours they wore.
The so called Republicans are to blame for taking what is not theirs and covering their twisted cause with it.
The media are to blame for calling parties like Sinn Fein republicans, calling people who attack Gardaí republicans or nationalists, calling the IRA a Republican terrorist group.
The Unionists are to blame for neglecting to point out that their opposition reject the Irish Republic and are not Republicans, but wannabe dictators.
Lastly, we are to blame for allowing the term Republican become linked with terrorism, extremism, Sinn Fein, the IRSP and their respective armies.
I am a real Irish Republican; I support my constitution and its principles, I support the democratic process regardless of its outcomes and I support my head of state even if I don’t agree with it. In theory I would support an Irish Republic on the entire island or Ireland but I recognise the rights of the people of Northern Ireland to make up their own minds, I accept the realities of the situation, I accept and respect the border and I would quicker see peace on this island than a unified state. If I never see a United Ireland I will not be upset, as long as it is the decision of the majority of the state of Northern Ireland.
Supporting the Republic is apolitical. I am not supporting any political party above another, I am simply rejecting those that refuse to abide by the laws they pretend to represent. Supporting the democratic process of my Republic is not about blindly getting behind the government or President of the day, but instead being involved in their election and holding them to account when they fail in their duties.
I am not rejecting out of hand Sinn Fein’s aims and aspirations in a democratic sense, I am just rejecting their validity as long as they fight their agenda with guns rather than peaceful manifesto’s.
I think it is about time the people of Ireland took back their flag and their title. I am a Real Republican, I reject all violence done in the name of republicanism, I support the will of the people of this island, both North and South of the border and I reject those who do not recognise the facts of our state; it is a state consisting of 26 counties, its head of state sits at Áras an Uachtaráin and its seat of Government is in Leinster House.
Feel free to take the below image (however I would appreciate if you hosted it yourself), which I am using in my Boards.ie sig and on this blog.
Blogs elsewhere
February 27th, 2006 at 1:24 pm
Agree with you 100 %. It’s time to take the tricolour back, and remember what it signifies.
February 27th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
Yes, quite right. I won’t be taking the image, but I broadly agree with the sentiment.
February 27th, 2006 at 2:19 pm
Well, you don’t have to take the image… you can always make your own!!!
Seriously though; I’d like to see this or a similar message being adopted across Irish blogs; as a sign that this kind of action is unacceptable and that Republicanism is no longer about terrorism; most people who have commented on the riots have made a similar point already though
March 5th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
I agree with most of what you say but I would be strongly in favour of a United Ireland. As a true republican I do not accept a gerrymandered border and I respect the firm will of all people on this island to achieve unity.
March 5th, 2006 at 4:21 pm
Obviously that is your perogative; people are always going to have a different view about the border, for or against.
I respect the arguments for and against; while I despise the way in which the border came into existance I feel it is time everyone accepted that it is there, and nothing will change that except diplomatic progress.
The Unionists of today largely don’t support partition because they like the idea of the British abusing and destroying this island, but because it is a part of their past, they were born British with a border and they don’t want that changed.
Basically what I’m trying to say is that the modern opponents to a United Ireland are not the ones responsible for the lack of it and nothing will change that. The worst thing to do is punish them for something that isn’t their fault or force them into something they don’t want just because people 800 years ago did something they shouldn’t have.
March 10th, 2006 at 5:54 pm
I don’t support Celtic.
I don’t support the IRA.
March 13th, 2006 at 12:46 pm
All the comflict the marching on Garvaghy Road causes, I was shocked that the orange men had the nerve to try and march the streets of Dublin.
March 16th, 2006 at 12:14 pm
I must say I really enjoyed reading that blog. I was brought up in Northern Ireland and I am currently at university in London. I may not have lived through all of the troubles, but I heard enough about them. While I personally would rather Northern Ireland remain part of the United Kingdom, I am absolutely sick of all of the fighting.
I agree with you that I think people like SF and the PIRA have spoiled the reputation of republicans. They have spoiled my opinion of it and it is only through reading articles such as this that I can understand they don’t actually stand for proper republicanism.
I had to go and search the internet to find out what had happened on the 25th Feb because at uni it’s hard to keep track of the news, but I must say I personally don’t even think the rally itself should have been planned, it’s just asking for trouble. I really think people just need to learn a bit more about common sense and sensitivity.
Every one has a view on whether Northern Ireland should remain part of the UK or if there become a United Ireland and they have a right to express that view, but it is up to the people who live in Northern Ireland what happens. They should express their view in a peaceful and democratic manor. Everyone needs to realise that violence only breeds more violence and not peace.
Sadly I personally think it is going to be a long time until this mess is sorted out.
March 31st, 2006 at 5:12 am
Would a ‘real’ Irish Republican meekly accept Ireland as a state consisting of 26 counties? Surely the aspiration should be a Republican State of 32 counties with everyone equal within that state?
In any case, if one declares themselves as republican, who is to say they are not? To say that you are of the ‘real’ variety is meaningless. The reality of Republicanism means a number of different things to different people. Had you been brought up in The Bogside, South Armagh or West Belfast it could be referring to the bond of a people who actively suffered discrimination, disenfranchisement, plastic bullets and internment. In other places being a Republican manifested itself by a bit of beard-stroking, pipe smoking and some humming and haa-ing.
Republicanism should be more than cheap hackneyed images of tricolours, bold statements of false superiority and borrowed Unionist terminology. I refer to your logo which is a confused paradox combining naff Irish jingoism and Unionist rhetoric terminology which they use to describe their Republican enemies.
March 31st, 2006 at 9:54 am
I’m sure you read in the post that I would be supportive of a United Ireland, I just don’t demand one. Frankly the debate on a United Ireland is over simplified at the best of times, even with Unionist support it’s not as simple as flicking a switch, which is why I am supportive in theory but withhold my full support until something workable is actually created; this is something I don’t see happening for a very long time if ever.
I am not one to tell people they are or are not Republican, and I’m not even trying to suggest that those who disagree with me have no right over the word Republican, I am mearly rejecting the use of violence in the name of the Republican cause and pointing out that Irish Republicans and the tricolour are not in the posession of extremists. Your references to the bogside etc. don’t really apply; I’m by no means suggesting they are no less Republican than I am, I am saying that those who use the word Republican to advocate a policy of violence, a policy of the rejection of the actual state of Ireland are the ones at fault. You can be a Republican and live in Britain but don’t try and suggest that you’re fighting for your country when you refuse to recognise its laws.
Republicanism is more than cheap images of tricolours, but at the same time the tricolour itself has been abused by so called Republicans and it’s something I want to help reverse. I preach no superiority, I just reject violence. As for Unionist terminology, your rejection of a point of view on the basis of who came up with it is a microcosm of the problem facing a United Ireland; what’s so wrong with saying the Unionists are right about some things? This petty tit-for-tat is destroying Northern Ireland… and the fact is that the IRA still exist and they are still connected to Sinn Fein, I’ve yet to see anything to suggest otherwise. They never ended their war, people just decided to assume they have… until the IRA call an end to their war and disband, they will always be a factor worth considering, large or small. As much as it may be a Unionist insult, the truth is that SF/IRA is a fact; if any other political party had connections with a private army I wouldn’t treat them any differently
April 5th, 2006 at 8:20 am
A 26 republic is not an Irish republic, it is a 26 county republic.
Its undemocratic. The Irish people have the right to self-determination and this right must be realised in spite of the opposition by British and Free State authorities.
You are a traitor to the ideals of Pearse and Connolly.
I’m from Derry, I know the horrors of the British warmachine and presence in Ireland. So by not demanding a United Ireland, you’re not a true republican.
The Free State governemnt are this year holding commemorative marches for the easter rising. Shear arrogance for them to even attamept to hold a commemoration for these patriots.
The proclomation says “we pray that no one who serves that cause will dishonour it by cowardice, in humanity, or rapine”.
Well if the Free State government claims to follow them ideals at all, then they should present themselves to the courts for dishonouring this nation with their cowardice, unhumanity and rapine towards the Irish people.
Tiocfaidh ar lá!!
April 5th, 2006 at 11:51 am
A 26 republic is not an Irish republic, it is a 26 county republic.
Its undemocratic. The Irish people have the right to self-determination and this right must be realised in spite of the opposition by British and Free State authorities.
No, it is an Irish Republic, it may not be the Irish Republic envisioned by our forefathers, but it is one nonetheless. As for undemocratic, well the undemocratic part (where the island was partitioned against the will of the majority of its people) is long in the past and sadly no amount of argument will change what happened, I for one am thankful that as it stands the Irish living in Northern Ireland do have a right to self-determination which is far better than many had only 30 years ago.
You are a traitor to the ideals of Pearse and Connolly.
I’m from Derry, I know the horrors of the British warmachine and presence in Ireland. So by not demanding a United Ireland, you’re not a true republican.
I’m not trying to say that the British are saintly; they aren’t and if it wasn’t for their Imperialistic and unjust actions we wouldn’t be in this situation. I may not be demanding a United Ireland on your terms, but I would say I demand that one is created once the majority of Northern Ireland demand one too. We may differ on the use of force; I don’t think that, in this day and age, fighting the British and killing innocents in the midst of it all is the way to gain a United Ireland, you may do, you don’t make that clear. It’s not your place to say I’m not a true Republican, I am. I support and believe in the Irish Republic, the entity that replaced the Free State you refer to. You may support a different Republic that doesn’t exist, and so be it if you do; but I refuse to recognise any validity to armed struggle in this day and age.
The Free State governemnt are this year holding commemorative marches for the easter rising. Shear arrogance for them to even attamept to hold a commemoration for these patriots.
The proclomation says “we pray that no one who serves that cause will dishonour it by cowardice, in humanity, or rapine”.
The Proclamation also states that it “declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts”; don’t you agree that a 32 county Republic would not resolve or create happiness amongst all the peoples of this island?
Frankly, I am unsure of the commemorations, but I don’t see why the Government is any less an authority to commemorate the actions of those in 1916 than a political part which represents just 3% of the electorate in the Republic and an admittedly large minority of the electorate in Northern Ireland.
April 6th, 2006 at 9:48 am
I liked your post for the most part,
and I’ve found the discussion after it worthy of
the read, but I myself though agreeing with you for the most part, must still believe that the North statelet should be questioned until there is proper representation, the constiuncy borders in that state are designed to always house a catholic minority, its amazing so many international bodies have overlooked its obvious inequality,
I am a Republican, I believe in equality, this situation must be dealt with along with access to their own (FULLY INCLUSIVE) executive
However regardless, I will always pray for a 32 county state with equality for all, unionists and nationalist under the tricolour (Nationalism - Peace/unity - Unionism)
April 6th, 2006 at 1:25 pm
still believe that the North statelet should be questioned until there is proper representation, the constiuncy borders in that state are designed to always house a catholic minority, its amazing so many international bodies have overlooked its obvious inequality,
I agree; as History has told us the Border between NI and RoI was drawn on the basis of creating a state big enough to be viable but not so big that there was a Nationalist majority; it wasn’t engineered on the basis of Unionist and Republican, and the state of Northern Ireland would have been ten times as big if it could have been (while still ensuring a Unionist majority). The fact that it was ignored by the International community is for similar reasons to why the International community turned a blind eye as Palestine was swept to one side and Israel was created in its place after WW2; complaining against it would make an enemy of a power greater than you.
Hopefully todays announcement will, eventually lead to an executive representative of the people of Northern Ireland, and hopefully that will be the beginning of an Island that is completely democratic, even if the border exists for the rest of our lifetimes.
I’d say the only chance we have of an agreement on a United Ireland is if the past is put behind us and the Unionists are certain that they wont be forced into anything. Even then I don’t expect much… and that’s something that should be respected.
April 27th, 2006 at 11:08 am
What are you talking about? this is a load of shit…Ian paisley is more of an “Irish Republican” than you will ever be
June 22nd, 2006 at 1:12 pm
where were the “real” republicans when Irish people in the north were being discriminated against as policy; being intimidated from there homes; murdered…..? Sorry but ure no republican. You don’t have a clue what it was like in the north.
July 19th, 2006 at 7:33 pm
I agree with your brave sentiments regarding violence.
I recall one Sunday walking through Speakers Corner, in London, seeing two Muslims brandishing their Korans and screaming into each other’s faces, spit flying, veins popping “You are not of Islam you are a kaffir!” ” No!! You are a kaffir!” “No! You are a kaffir”
Until I saw a drunk Paddy walk past them and gently say
“Steady on brothers, sure yis’ll end up killing eachother, and yis’ll never know who was right”
They paused to listen, and then just launched right back at each other. That was 1988. I hear the’re still goin for it hammers and tongs.
I too am a Republican, and I renounce non defensive violence in the name of Ireland.
I too want peace before Unity.
I want to live next door to protestants, unionists, whatever,Brits,Blacks, retards, Progressive Democrats, or (God forbid) Tories. But I want to do it in peace.