George Plant’s ideals still inspire

“TWO Protestant Republican leaders were done to death by the 26-County State outside the rule of law, George Plant under Fianna Fáil in 1942 and Erskine Childers under Cumann na nGaedheal/Fine Gael in 1922,” said Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, President of Republican Sinn Féin at the annual George Plant commemoration in St Johnstown, Fethard, Co Tipperary on Sunday, March 3.

It  was supported by the National Graves Association which organised a bus load from Dublin to attend at George Plant’s graveside in St Johnston, Fethard, Co Tipperary. They also provided a colour party and  laid a wreath on the grave.

Finbar Kissane presided and Enda O’Riordan, Clonmel, secretary of the committee, also laid a wreath on their behalf.

Ronnie Plant, cousin of George Plant, represented the relatives.

Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, President of Republican Sinn Féin, was guest speaker. In his address he said:

“George Plant, a veteran of the Black and Tan and Free State wars 1919-23 was railroaded to death when the established rules of evidence and internationally recognised legal procedures were changed to send him before the firing squad.

“He was discharged by the Military Tribunal only to be put on trial again on the same charge by a Special Military Court which could only impose the death penalty and from whose sentence no right of appeal lay.

“Between the two trials the rules of evidence were changed to make admissible unsworn statements read to the court by police officers. The principles of refusing double jeopardy and retro-active legislation were breached for a summary trial by drumhead court martial.

“Similarly, Erskine Childers was executed while the findings of an Appeal in a Habeas Corpus action in his case were awaited. There were no lengths to which the 26-County State would not go in its collaboration with British rule in Ireland.

“At the present time many aspects of national life for which George Plant had fought were being sold out to colonial rule here. Former Republican comrades were now Ministers of the Crown at Stormont and were engaged in administering British rule in the Six Counties.

“The GAA had admitted British soldiers and police into membership after 100 years of Rule 21. When these forces were evacuated from Ireland finally, Rule 21 would have died a natural death.

“Five of the Six Occupied Counties where the rule had operated, were to their eternal honour, steadfastly opposed to fraternising with the forces of occupation. Now Croke Park itself, citadel of Gaelic games, was to be opened up to other games without the sanction of the annual Congress.

“British Royal visits on an official basis were taking place in the 26 Counties with increasing frequency and soon the Queen of England, while claiming to be ‘Queen of Northern Ireland’ might even be received officially south of the Border.

“This would be the first such visit since 1911 and would indicate to the world that relations with England were now ‘normalised’ and that the Six Counties and its people were now part of Britain – something generations of Irish people had fought to the death against.

“The Irish language even was now subject to attack as never before but the great work being done by the Gaelscoileanna, on both sides of the Border, showed that the national spirit was still vibrant and would not yield to colonialism.

“The sure solution to the national question and the alternative to the unworkable Stormont Agreement of 1998 lay in a new federation of the four provinces including a nine-county Ulster.

“This latter would give the former unionists a working majority but would leave the nationalists within reach of power. Maximum devolution within the provinces would bring real power to the people at local level.

“Natural and horizontal power-sharing, rather than enforced vertical co-operation, would be in line with the ideals of Erskine Childers and George Plant, ‘the Pride of Tipperary’,” Ruairí Ó Brádaigh concluded.

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Web layout by SAOIRSE -- Irish Freedom March 11, 2002  Send links, events notifications, articles, comments etc, to the editor at: saoirse@iol.ie.