the struggle for a united ireland has nothing to do with religion

[RSF-Fianoglach]

from the beginning of the struggle to free ireland from the colonising brits the fight has been about freedom and the right to self determination it has never been about religion,the whole prod vs catholic thing was a tactic the british succesfully introduced into the irish mindset to cause division among the locals and to our detriment it still exists today,although it may be true the majority of nationalists are catholic and the majority of loyalists are protestant both by default through birth into either tradition it is important to remember some of our greatest republican leaders where protestant such as wolfe tone among others,my point is it is very disapointing to hear fellow republicans say things such as the struggle over the last 30 years or so was for eqaul rights for CATHOLICS and by making this connection to religion we fall into the trap and myth the brits have spun to prevent the irish people from uniting entirely,the struglle is not for catholic or protestant it is for all irish peoples right to a united country free from any illegal occupation or interference

may i add i am neither catholic nor protestant i would consider myself a non affiliated christian and an irish republican

please share your thoughts wether you agree or not. Tomas O Ruanaidh

[grainne]

from the beginning of the struggle to free ireland from the colonising brits the fight has been about freedom and the right to self determination it has never been about religion,the whole prod vs catholic thing was a tactic the british succesfully introduced into the irish mindset to cause division among the locals and to our detriment it still exists today,although it may be true the majority of nationalists are catholic and the majority of loyalists are protestant both by default through birth into either tradition it is important to remember some of our greatest republican leaders where protestant such as wolfe tone among others,my point is it is very disapointing to hear fellow republicans say things such as the struggle over the last 30 years or so was for eqaul rights for CATHOLICS and by making this connection to religion we fall into the trap and myth the brits have spun to prevent the irish people from uniting entirely,the struglle is not for catholic or protestant it is for all irish peoples right to a united country free from any illegal occupation or interference

may i add i am neither catholic nor protestant i would consider myself a non affiliated christian and an irish republican

please share your thoughts wether you agree or not. Tomas O Ruanaidh

Welcome to the forum.:eusa_clap:
And a fine post to mark ur arrival.

I couldnt agree with you more there my friend.
My partner is from the otherside of the house
we have a child together and live happly.we have or goes at each other
as every other couple does,but never does her faith nor mine make any differeance or play any part.

There are a few unwanted posters who visit this forum from time to time
with no good intention,whos primary goal it is to insult & disrupt the good debates that take place here.They will fail at all times.

Enjoy :)

[Seamus]

Well stated Tomas. Religious sectarianism is an imperialist tactic to divide an oppressed people in order to weaken the anti colonial forces. The Brits have employed it in India when they partitioned that country along Hindu,muslim lines. We see the same think happening in Iraq today.

Irish Republicanism is of course a secular and anti sectarian ideology which advocates the complete separation of church and state. This position is enshrined in the constitution of Sinn Fein Poblachtach.

[Ernie O'Malley]

Well said Seamus.
Éire Nua Is the only way in which to realistically achieve a fully Democratic United representitve Ireland irrespective of Religion, ending Partition and division.

[Rory O'Connor]

I must admit that Éire Nua, if implemented correctly, could be an affective policy/strategy for maintaining peace within the Irish Republic. Why did Sinn Féin abandon Éire Nua at their Ard Fheis during 1985?

[Ernie O'Malley]

I'm not sure if it was after the Provo's left in 86 that it was dropped by Provo's but Gerry Adams dropped Éire Nua describing it as a "Sop to Unionism" as giving in to unionists giving them too much obviously for hoping to give them representation in a New Ireland there has been no alternitive rought in to Provo policy to replace it as of yet and the "Sop" statement is a little Ironic considering the position of the Deputy First Minister?

Frank McManus I think, an Independent MP In the 70's said of Éire Nua "The Only criticism of Éire Nua can be from its source of origin which is neither a just or credible criticism."
The Ulster Workers Council were presented Éire Nua by Daithi O'Conail as were many Unionist politicians as well as the British Government unionism in the early 70's even though at the height of the IRA's campign visited Éire Nua they proposed a federal solution to Irelands War though 6 and 26 county states which was rejected by the Movement as it would have been "Eternally at logger heads" Frank Boal a loyalist politician described Éire Nua as viable and like the Australian model which could be implemented and work
I would love to see Unionism and Loyalism revist Éire Nua especially in the current climate of rising Sectarianism

[Hildy]

I must admit that Éire Nua, if implemented correctly, could be an affective policy/strategy for maintaining peace within the Irish Republic. Why did Sinn Féin abandon Éire Nua at their Ard Fheis during 1985?


Éire Nua was objected to by northern members of the Republican movement on the grounds that it would perpetuate the dominance of Protestant unionists in the north of the country, even after Irish independence. When northern republicans grouped around Gerry Adams gained control of the IRA and Sinn Féin in the late 1970s, they attacked the policy. In 1982, the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis voted to drop the policy, and the following year all reference to it in the Sinn Féin Constitution and rules was removed, it was removed as the policy of the Republican movement in favour of the creation of a unitary Irish Republic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89ire_Nua

Nationalist alienation in the aftermath of the deaths of ten Republican hunger-strikers in Long Kesh prison in 1981 gave Sinn Féin a springboard into electoral politics in the North. An internal power struggle, between a southern leadership under Ruairí Ó Brádaigh and a northern leadership under Gerry Adams, saw Ó Brádaigh and his associates leave to establish Republican Sinn Féin in 1986, which they claimed was the 'true' Sinn Féin. The split was over the decision of a majority of Sinn Féin members to alter party policy on abstentionism at the 1986 Sinn Féin Ard Fheis (i.e. the refusal to accept the legitimacy of, or to participate in, the parliaments of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland); while the policy of abstentionism towards the Westminster British Parliament was continued, it was dropped in relation to Dáil Éireann. Under the presidency (from November 1983) of Gerry Adams, Sinn Féin leaders sought to explore wider political engagement through political agitation and the use or threat of violence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinn_F%C3%A9in

[Ernie O'Malley]

After all of this Éire Nua revisited presented updated in 1991 is held still by the Republican Movement today and is becoming increasingly important due to the Sectarianism mounting in the O6C, showing sectarian internal British solutions cannot work
Éire Nua takes religion out of the political situation and replaces Partitions Sectarianism with A Republics representation and democracy