Sinn Féin Cumann Launched amid great Fanfare in Newbridge

kildare | miscellaneous | news report Sunday August 23, 2009 22:57 by Kildare Sinn Féin cilldarasinnfein at gmail dot com

The newly established Bob Doyle/Dinny Barry cumann was officially launched in Johnsons Bar on Saturday, August, 22nd

Cllr. Kathleen Funchion, Mary Lou McDonald & Sean Downey

The newly established Bob Doyle/Dinny Barry cumann was officially launched in Johnsons Bar on Saturday, August, 22nd. The night was very well attended giving credence to local Sinn Féin activist, Sean Downey’s statement that they “have been overwhelmed with interest from the public wishing to join the local cumman”.

The night began with newly elected Cllr Kathleen Funchion for Kilkenny introducing Harry Owens & Eugene McCartan who spoke of the lives of the two men the cumman has been named after highlighting in particular the parallels from which can be drawn from Bob Doyle and Dinny Barry’s drive and commitment to their causes. In particular connections were drawn from Bob Doyle’s battles against the blue shirts whist in the IRA, against the fascists in Spain and his lifelong commitment to the fight against attacks on workers. It was pointed out that today we have far too many examples of such attacks, the Thomas Cook affair and Dublin Dockers dispute to name but a few.

As the night continued long serving Sinn Féin Cllr. for Athy, Paddy Wright spoke of his pleasure at being able to welcome the new cumman personally and his delight in seeing such a great turn out and in particular the many young people present on the night, he said jokingly if he had as many at his disposal he would elected ten TDs in Kildare. He spoke about his work in Kildare and what lies ahead for the party over the coming months and years in the county. Paddy was followed by Sean Downey who thanked all of those who had helped and voted for him in the recent local elections where he put in a really strong showing as the first Sinn Féin candidate in over 20 years to contest this area.

In his address Mr. Downey quickly got to matters on hand highlighting some of huge problems the people of Newbridge and Kildare are faced with such as welfare, health and education cuts, levies, increased taxes and soaring unemployment, stating ‘instead of bailing out banks and developers the government should be doing the right thing and helping its citizen in these troubled times. He reiterated his challenge to Fianna Fáil TD’s to live on welfare for one month if they are to support yet another savage and unwarranted attack, ‘we have heard no response yet, Fianna Fáil must be afraid to face the people” or he added “perhaps they are still on holidays” which was received with rapturous applause.

There was an air of expectancy from the crowd as Mary Lou McDonald stepped up to speak, Newbridge a town that for so long was devoid of radical politics has seen a huge shift recently. Mary Lou’s speech yet another milestone in the further radicalisation of the population who listened intently as she spoke of the battles ahead both nationally and locally to defeat Fianna Fáil cronyism and in particular the need for organised resistance to NAMA which will burden generations of people with a €90 billion debt. She went on to welcome the presence of members from other parties including newly elected Labour Mayor, Willie Hamilton pointing out it was essential to work with other likeminded groups and individuals to defeat this onslaught from the Fianna Fáil government upon the ordinary people.

Speaking after the event Sean Downey wished to thank everyone for attending and Ciarán Dwyer and Paul McCormack for the great music and also reiterated his appeal the people of the town and county to become involved and fight back against this government’s destruction of the economy and attacks on its ordinary citizens.