The commemoration was chaired by Des Dalton. A decade of the rosary was said by Kitty Hawkins, Kildare.

The oration was then given by Saoirse Breatnach who reminded those present of the heroic war O’Boyle led against the Black and Tans.

Niall Plunkett O’Boyle, like so many dedicated men and women of his time was fully committed to a 32-County Irish Republic. This led to his joining Sinn Féin in Burtonport, Co Donegal and then on to his local unit of the IRA.

Niall, a great man of vision knew that spirit alone was not enough to defeat the British and Free State forces. And so he travelled to Scotland where he procured arms for the IRA.

During the Civil War, for his taking the Republican stance he was jailed in Newbridge where he escaped along with 160 other volunteers in the famous tunnel in October 1922.

Closing the oration Saoirse Breatnach asked Republicans to enquire into their hearts and minds and prepare themselves for what is to come.

She said if Niall Plunkett O’Boyle were alive today he could warn us of the new Broy Harriers in the making, who have chosen the constitutional road which has failed nationalists like Robert Hamill who died on May 10 as a result of injuries received from loyalists while onlooking RUC sat watching from their armoured jeeps.

“Let us learn from history and know that we have not left the path of revolutionary action. As Irish Republicans under the guidance of Republican Sinn Féin and other bodies of the Republican Movement, we have the right to resist British rule in our country.”

The Last Post and Amhrán na bhFiann were played by Johnny Gilraine.
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The people marched behind the National Flag and a piper to the centre of the village where an imposing memorial to the executed 1916 leader and Co Leitrim native stands.

Declan Curneen, Ard Chomhairle, Sinn Féin Poblachtach, chaired the proceedings. Wreaths were laid on behalf of Leitrim Comhairle Ceantair, Republican Sinn Féin by John M Branley and on behalf of Comhairle Chonnacht by Michael Kennedy. A laurel wreath was laid on behalf of the leadership by Jim Mannion. Séamus McGowan recited a decade of the Rosary in Irish and the Proclamation was read by Thomas Kelly. The statement from the leadership was read by Con Darcy.

Cllr Joe O’Neill delivered a rousing oration. During it he appealed to those now caught up in the constitutional trap to turn their back on Westminster and return to the path of Republicanism. Seán Mac Diarmada fought and died for an Ireland free from shore to shore of English rule. The acceptance of anything less was a betrayal of all those who suffered and died in pursuit of that aim.

He stated the three demands of the Republican Movement; (1) a public declaration by the British government to withdraw their administration and forces from the Six Occupied Counties; (2) the release of all political prisoners and (3) the people of Ireland discussing their country’s future as a unit.

The National Anthem brought the ceremonies to an end.
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A lifelong Republican she was uncompromising in her principles of Irish freedom up until the very end. She often attended the Wolfe Tone Commemoration In Bodenstown and only last year visited relations in Knockatallon and Monaghan.

She was for many years chairperson of the Patrick Pearse branch of the Gaelic League in Glasgow and was present when they held their centenary celebrations in 1995. It was this branch that Pádraig Pearse visited on two occasions at the start of the century and he was very impressed by the progress of the Gaelic League in Scotland.

Margaret’s remains were brought home to Ireland on Sunday, May 25 to St Joseph’s Church, Glasthule, Co Dublin, an area where she lived with her husband Seán Ó Dell for five years during the late forties. Cathleen Knowles, Ard-Rúnaí, represented Sinn Féin Poblachtach at the removal. The funeral Mass on Monday was celebrated by an tAthair Séamas Ó Siadhail, Arranmore, Co Donegal who was a friend of Margaret’s when he administered in Glasgow, During the course of a moving ceremony, an tAthair Ó Siadhail said “that she had a great love of the Irish language, was not keen on history being rewritten, a great capacity for friendship and was uncompromising in her principles”.

At the graveside in Deansgrange Cemetery Pádraig Ó Baoighill delivered an oration in which he praised her love of country and her commitment to an Ireland Gaelic and free.

“Her house in Glasgow,” he stated, “was an Irish institution from which evolved many Irish organisations in the city. A great organiser, she was a strong character, who was not afraid to defend her principles of freedom. A true patriot her exploits will never be forgotten in Glasgow.”

Rinne sé comhbhrón le na deartháir Séamas Ó Donghaile, le teaghlach a deirfiÚra, muintir Uí Dhochtaraigh agus le na gaolta go léir. Solas na bFhlaitheas dá hanam uasal.
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The geologists give us estimates of how long Ireland is an island. Physically the island of Ireland is one unit. Politically the territory of Ireland is one unit and was always regarded as such until 1920.

The right of the people of Ireland to self-determination and to the integrity of the island of Ireland are inalienable, both are God given. Democracy does not enter the equation. No majority can alienate the right of the Irish people to self-determination. That right can only be extinguished by the annihilation of the Irish people.

Democracy is a convenient system for the regulation of affairs, but no majority can make wrong right. Democrats will always labour under the Barrabas clause, he is the one the people chose!

The Ireland Act 1949 elicited a protest from de Valera. The Downing Street Declaration of 1993 was accepted by Reynolds. Even by his ideas of democracy he had not the right to do so.

In the Downing Street Declaration 1993 and the Framework Document 1995 the participants determined “to overcome the legacy of history”. Those who through ignorance or otherwise ignore the legacy or lessons of history are doomed to the repetition of the mistakes of history.

At each stage since 1969 the Free State representatives gave away more and more of the rights of the Irish people which were not theirs to give away. Each generation holds the integrity of the Nation as a sacred trust to pass on to the succeding generations. Any generation which does not pass on the the Nation in an enhanced condition to their succeeding generation have failed in their trust and are remiss.

The Free State Constitution of 1937 contains Articles 2 and 3 which lay claim to the territory of the intact island of Ireland; even that insincere juggler Eamon de Valera could not wriggle out of that one.

The Sunningdale Agreement 1973 acknowledges the fact that the Six Counties “are part of the geographical entity of Ireland”, Unionists in their perversity deny this fact.

Fitzgerald and O’Brien “fully accepted and solemnly declared that there would be no change in the status of Northern Ireland until the majority of the people of Northern Ireland desired a change in that status”. This declaration was ultra vires. The right of self determination does not depend on the whim of the British or any other government.

The people of France, centuries ago drove the English out of their country and asserted the integrity of the USA. The American Civil War was not about slavery (Lincoln was a slave owner); Lincoln fought for six counties (the Confederate States); rightly he denied their attempt to secede. The Irish people have the same right and obligation to strive and if necessary to take up arms to recover the integrity of the Irish Nation.

It may even be argued that the USA of the 1860s was not a nation but it aspired to be a nation and has become one, but the principle was right.

The actions of Fitzgerald and O’Brien are unacceptable as are the actions of the political parties who support them.

Even the Free State Supreme Court such as it is declared that the claim to the whole national territory was a “legal right”. It is more, it is an inalienable right.

What Republicans find particularly invidious is the fact that they are being forced to support Articles 2 and 3 which they do not acknowledge. The entity now referred to as the Republic of Ireland is an ersatz creation of John A Costello and de Valera and no matter what is said or written is not the Republic declared by Pearse and his comrades in 1916 and freely ratified by the Irish people in 1918. There is one Irish Republic as there is but one true God.

Even the 1920 Act acknowledges that there were All Ireland matters. There is no irredentism involved in the rightful claim to the integrity of the whole island whether the Tory Party and Fitzgerald and O’Brien agree or not.

Following Washington’s defeat of the British in 1776 there was a Unionist element in the USA. Some of them refused to recognise the USA and returned to England, some migrated to the West Indies to remain under British Rule. A third section remained in the US and were included in the mainstream of American Society even though they can still be identified as the white Anglo Saxon Protestants.

There is but one solution to the “Irish Problem”, namely unconditional British withdrawal. All other solutions have been tried and failed. The so-called peace process has failed because its foundations were wrong. It strove to alienate the inalienable. When the British withdraw the people of this island will be in a position to sort out their own differences as the Americans did in 1776 and the Unionist population will be in a position to take their rightful and honourable place in the Irish nation.

There is no solution other than withdrawal uncondit-ionally. Pearse’s words were prophetic “They think that they have pacified Ireland, they have purchased one half and intimidated the other. The fools, the fools they have left us our Fenian dead, while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace”. These words are frightening but none the less true. The peace process might have pacified Ireland pro tem but the thorn of the British presence still remains.

This is a superbly written and thoroughly researched account of a remarkable man, Tom Maguire, a brave soldier, and a man to whom keeping faith with his people transcended all temptations towards self-aggrandisement, political or otherwise.

As a fighter for Ireland’s freedom he stands in the first rank of Irish heroes down through the centuries since time began. Ó Néill, Ó Domnall and his own illustrious ancestor of whom the poet wrote

Maguire, the chief of hosts Rules the mighty men of Manach At home munificent in presents The noblest chiefs in hospitality.

Thus the bard Ó Dúgáin in the twelfth century. Ruairí Ó Brádaigh in his book Dílseacht has now produced a modern and much-needed account of a Maguire hero of our own century. The story of the fight on Partry hills is one of high heroism equalled only by Tom Barry’s fight against the same enemy in the same War of Independence at Crossbarry in Cork.

Tom’s day-long battle with only thirty Volunteers armed with shotguns and a few rifles against six hundred trained soldiers armed with rifles, Lewis machine guns and grenades is a tale that will thrill patriotic young Irish people down the generations and inspire them in their efforts to free their land from shore to shore from the blighting grasp of the English invader.

There have been other fine fighters through the years who have succumbed to self interest or the blandishment of cunning politicians but Tom, throughout his long life remained faithful to the oath he took as a TD of the independent Republic of 32 Counties established by the overwhelming vote of the people of all Ireland – to uphold that Republic in arms against all enemies, foreign or domestic, even at the cost of his own life or as it happened the life of his young brother Seán, executed by the forces of the vassal state in Tuam.

The title of this well-produced book is Dílseacht and this more than anything else – his courage, his ability as a fighter for freedom – is the dominant quality of Commandant-General Tom Maguire. And who better to write this fine account than a fine freedom fighter of a later generation who has remained faithful to the lawful Republic of the 32 Counties of Ireland and refuses to desert our oppressed brethren in the Six Occupied Counties.

Ruairí himself was also a guerrilla fighter in the campaign against the occupying forces in the north from 1956 to ’62. As was also our chairman Dan Hoban. They too attacked RUC barracks, blew up British installations and engaged in bloody battles and ambushes with the forces of the Crown, sleeping in dug-outs or in the few friendly houses in the unfriendly territory of Fermanagh and other districts of the North.

Ruairí was OC of the Teeling Column, trained here in the mountains of North Mayo. He commanded the cover-fire party in the destruction of Derrylin RUC barracks, and the spectacular Arborfield raid in England and was Chief-of-Staff after escaping from the Curragh camp with Dáithí Ó Conaill. The campaign. including the ambush at Jonesborough when three RUC men were wounded and one killed was highly reminiscent of the 1920-21 War of Independence.

Ruairí therefore was uniquely qualified to write this book. In it he describes how Tom gave his authority to those who stood faithful to the Republic in 1969 and 1986 when others defected to the two vassal states of the 26 Counties and the Six.

Dílseacht is indeed a fitting title to this life story of Commandant-General Tom Maguire of the Western Command of the IRA and longest living faithful survivor of the Second Dáil of the 32 County Irish Republic.

Pronnadh an onóir mhór orm an leabhar seo, Dílseacht le Ruairí Ó Brádaigh a sheoladh. Tuairisc Bheatha an Commandant-General Tom Maguire Teachta an Dara Dáil de Phoblacht na hÉireann uilig, óglach a throid go cróga ar son saoirse na hÉireann agus a d’fhan dílis dá mhóid don Phoblacht dlísteanach go bhfuair sé bás naois a aon is a chéad bliain.

Ba de shíolrach oirdhearc Tomás Maguidhir. Sheas clann Mhaguidhir an fód ina bhfearann dúchais Fear Manach naghaidh Normanach agus Sasanach ar feadh cheithre gcéad go leith bliain.

Díbríodh amach as an talamh sinsearach in ndiaidh bhriseadh Chinn tSáile ach bhí siadag troid arís i gCath Eachroma i 1691 faoina dTaoiseach Cúchonnacht

Maguidhir ina aghaidh arm Liam Oráiste.

Nuair a tháinig scaipeadh agus fán orthu ina dhiadh sin lonnaigh cuid acu sa gCrois i gCondae Mhaigh Eo. D’éirigh duine sinsearach le Tom amach le Humbert i 1798 agus throid i ngach cath go dtí Béal Átha na Muc. Bhí athair agus uncail Thomáis i dtús eadhnaíochta i gCogadh na Talún agus bé athair Thomáis, Liam Maguidhir, a glaoigh amach na tionóntaí sa stailc in aghaidh an Chaiptín Boycott.

Cé’rbh íonadh mar sin an tírghrá agus fuath an ansmachta a bheith fostaithe go daingean i gcroí Tom óg agus Chlann Mhaguidhir go léir. Agus ba é a fhearacht chéana é ag clainn Christina Ní Fhíne an cailín a bhí sé le pósadh i 1924.

Bhí aithne agam ar Thomás ar feadh ceathracha bliain, thugainn chairt air gach uair dá dtéinn thrí Chrois. Ach bhí eolas agam air, ar a chliú agus ar a chalmacht ó tháinig ann dom. Mar son is dá bhrí sin sílim go bhfuil mé in innmhe léirmheas eolasach a thabhairt ar an leabair seo Dílseacht.

Léigh mé thríd é ó thús deireadh le spéis agus le taitneamh agus ní mór dhom a rá go bhfuil sé ionmholta tharna beartaí as a bheaichte, as an taighde cúramach atá ina bhun, as a stit agus as chomh soléite is atá sé. Tá moladh mór ag gabháil do Ruairí Ó Brádaigh ar a shon.

(Ar lean an mhí seo chugainn.)

Rugadh Tom i gCrois i 1892. Nuair a bhí sé bliain is fiche ghabh sé le hÓglaigh na hÉireann a bunaíodh an bhliain sin. Nuair a tugadh an cath ar shléithte Phártraí ar an 3ú Bealtaine 1921 bhí Tom Maguidhir ina Oifigeach Ceannais ar Bhriogáid Mhaigh Eo Theas, agus ar an gcolún reatha ann.

Ba é cath Phártraí an Cath ba mhó a tugadh i gConnachta i gCogadh na Saoirse, ionchurtha leis an gCath ag gCrois an Bharraigh i Máirt 1921 mar ar chuir gaiscíoch eile, Tom Barry, ruaig iomaraig ar sheacht gcathlán saighdiúirí agus dúchrónach. Bhí céad agus ceathrar óglach páirteach i gCath Chros an Bharraigh agus níor mhair sé ach dhá uair i Tuar Mhic Éadaigh roimh nóin agus fearadh an cath ar na sléibhte ag a 4 iarnóin agus lean sé go crónachán ag 10.30.

Rinne na hóglach faoi Thomás Maguidhir oirchill ar dhá lorraí dúchrónach ag tíocht amach as Baile an Róba le hearraí do bhearaic an RIC i gCeapach na Creiche. Maraíodh cúigear den námhaid sa luíochán seo agus goineadh cuid eile. Chaill na hÓglaigh duine amháin, Pádraic Ó Finní, driotháir le Christina, a gabhadh ag cuid den RIC gur chaith siad é agus é ina phríosúnach.

In éis an luíocháin sin i dTuar Mhic Éadaigh chúlaigh na hÓglaigh go dtí sléibhte Phártraí ach chuir garrastún Cheapach na Creiche Phártraí teachtaireacht ar a ngléas craolacháin go dtí Baile an Róba go rabhtas in éis na lorraithe soláithair a ionsaí.

Ba ghairid go dtáinig ceithre lorraí fichead agus iad luchtaithe le saighdiúirí, dúchrónaigh, RIC agus cúntóirí as Clár Chlainne Mhuiris; Tuam; agus Baile an Róba, tuairim is trí chathlán móide ceathrar is fiche tiománaí (iad armtha chomh maith) agus tuilleadh RIC agus saighdiúirí Shasana as Cathair na Mart agus Caisléan a’ Bharraigh, 600 a líon go léir.

Chaith siad tródam thart ar an gcnoc ar a raibh an tríocha óglach daingnithe agus thoisigh orthu ag loscadh lei le raifil agus le Lewis-ghunnaí. D’fhreagair na hÓglaigh iad lena gcuid gunnaí fobhlaerachta agus an dornán raifeal a rug siad ón namhaid sa dá luíochán ag Cill Fáil agus Tuar Mhic Éadaigh.