THE CELTIC CONNECTION-APRIL 1992
Page 5
Reliving the Day When the Irish Nation Arose
The Prime Ministerof Canada, the Honourable Brian Mulroney, M.P., accepting a Waterford Crystal shamrock from the Irish Ambassadorto Canada, Mr. Antoin Mac Unfraidh at a reception in the Ambassador's Residence in Ottawa on St. Patrick's day.
It's April, and it's also springtime, everything re-newing itself. For me, this month brings to mind lots of stuff. For instance, the feast day of England's Patron Saint, St. George, Bill Shakespeare's birthday, but most important of all was, Christ rose from the dead on Easter Sunday and the Irish nation rose on Easter Monday, April 24, 1916.
As recorded, it was a clear day with not a cloud in the sky. The Irish Grand National was on, the seasides were open because of the weather, with no cover charge I'm sure, and a few jars swallowed back no doubt. A typical Easter Monday day off.
The globe at that time wasn't in great shape as World War I was in progress. In Dublin city centre, there was an even greater event talking place: The Declaration of Independence.
A group of about 200 heavily-armed men had taken the General Post Office in the late morning, surprisingly unnoticed, until noon time when out stepped two officers in dark green uniforms. They summoned the people in the streets to gather and listen. Eventually, the rest of the soldiers aligned to the road of the orating commanders.
MR. O'NANYMOUS
They stood between two of the great pillars at the main entrance to the General Post Office on Sackville Street, now known as O'Connell Street. Some people ran on with deaf ears, a lot stayed and headed the words of freedom.
One general stepped forward, opened his scroll and read the Proclamation:
"Irishmen and Irishwomen! in the name of God and of the dead generations from which she receives her old tradition of nationhood, Ireland, through us, summons her children to her flag and strikes for her freedom."
The speaker was 36 year-old Patrick Pearse and his colleague was James Connolly.
One of the listening crowd, Timothy Finnigan, born in Sackville Place, Dublin, was my grandfather.
"To kill is a sin, may it be for freedom or other but to deny any race the freedom of his or her country is an atrocity" (Michael Lynch)
To me, freedom of the press is a lie in some cases. You only read what is painted by censorship such as "the IRA bombs" that killed, maimed or injured the innocent. You never hear the other side of the story. The legalized killings, maimings or imprisonments of innocent people by the legalized armies.
I admire the United States of America for the way it got its freedom (American Declaration of Independence 1776). But, I greatly respected the U.S.S.R. the way they gave it. "I condemn a man who speaks rudely of his land; not one does he have and no country will have him" (Michael Lynch)
One wall remains in Europe and inside that wall, the captor F.A.T. D.A.D., the prisoners, Fermanah, Antrim, Tyrone, Derry, Armagh, Down. I ask the governor of this prison to release all in captivity immediately, and he too can be a free man.
God free Ireland from the last wall! Yours truly, Mr. O
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