Leinster Leader report on RSF-Kildare picket

Article on page 3 of the newspaper Leinster Leader, Jan. 28th, 2009:

9 January 2009
By Henry Bauress

REPUBLICAN Sinn Fein said it will continue to highlight the illegal drugs problem in Kildare.

Following a public demonstration in Celbridge town on Saturday, Janaury 11, the party's Frank Driver cumann said members from Kildare and Raheny in Dublin took part, along with 10 local Celbridge residents.

Chairman, Damien Dillon said a group of around 20 participants ignored strong winds and pouring rain to put our message across to the people of Celbridge, and indeed Kildare, that "filthy heroin dealers are selling this dangerous and addictive drug to our kids", while increasing the crime rate in our communities.

Mr. Dillon said drug dealings of all kinds is a serious problem in Kildare and all over Ireland, on our streets and behind closed doors." We, Republican Sinn Fein, will continue to highlight this problem all over Kildare."

Mr Dillon said it got a great response from passing motorists, beeping, giving their support.

He said the protest lasted about 60 minutes and the party thanked all who attended and everyone for their support on this issue.

The party's next protest is taking place at Rosconnell Estate entrance in Newbridge on February 7 at 3pm sharp.

30. Jan.: Frank Driver Cumann Launch Nite!!

The Frank Driver Cumann North Kildare
Launch of Cumann / Fundraiser
Venue: Town House Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare
Time & Date: Friday, 30th January at 8.30pm

Music by Liam Bridgeman of Celbride, Co. Kildare

Speakers:
Des Dalton (Vice President of RSF)
Ger Foran (Mooncoin Kilkenny)

also Guest Speaker:
Sean Fleming (Francis Hughes Cumann Glasgow) speaking about the Palestinian Conflict

POW Crafts Raffle on the Night
5 Euro admission

All Welcome!

The Frank Driver Cumann North Kildare
Highlighting Community Problems across Kildare

Facts should not be ignored

Statement by Athy Town Council Candidate and RSF Vice President Des Dalton

I agree that the people of Athy need to make their voice heard on the chronic traffic congestion which the town has endured over many years now. People organizing themselves is the most effective way of advancing this issue, ensuring that a momentum is created that no public representative, local authority, official of civil servant can ignore.

It has been suggested that there should be “no blame game” on the issue. Whilst that is a worthy sentiment it ignores the reality that at a time when funding was available for the provision of an outer relief road some members of Athy Town Council chose instead to insist on an ill-advised and an ill-thought-out inner relief road project. It seems narrow political agendas were more important than the needs of Athy and its people. Even when the project was rejected by An Bord Pleanála then Co Manager Niall Bradley pursued a fruitless appeal to the High Court in a shameless waste of public funds, and in defiance of the wishes of the majority of the people of Athy.

These are important facts which cannot be simply brushed under the carpet and should be carefully considered when people cast their vote in this year’s elections for Athy Town Council.

Celbridge Protest Report

ON SATURDAY the 17th of january the Frank Driver Cumann of Cilldara Sinn Féin Poblachtach held their ant-drug protest as planned in Celbridge, Co. Kildare. Members of Republican Sinn Féin from Kildare and Raheny, Co. Dublin, took part along with ten local Celbridge residents.

It was a crowd of around twenty who ignored strong winds and pouring rain to put our message across to the people of Celbridge and indeed kildare that filthy heroin dealers are selling this dangerous and addictive drug to our kids while increasing the crime rate in our communities. Drug dealings of all kind are a serious problem in kildare and all over Ireland, on our streets and behind closed doors.

We, Republican Sinn Fein, will continue to highlight this problem all over Kildare. We got a great response from passing motorists beeping giving us their support. The protest lasted about sixty minutes, we thank all who attended and everyone for their support on this issue. Our next protest is taking place at rosconnell estate entrance in Newbridge on Febuary, 17th at 3pm sharp.

For more info contact: RSF Cilldara at rsfrecruiting@gmail.com

The Frank Driver Cumann North Kildare
Highlighting Community Problems across Kildare

RSF establish Cumann in Carlow Town

REPUBLICAN Sinn Féin has established a Cumann in Carlow Town as the organisation in Leinster continues to grow. Named the Myles Shevlin/Tony Ruane Cumann its aim is to go on a recruiting and development drive over the coming weeks.

The Cumann is named after Carlow Republican Myles Shevlin, who over a period of over 40 years played a leading role in the Republican Movement. A solicitor, Myles Shevlin was part of the IRA delegation which engaged in negotiations with the British government in 1972. Tony Ruane, a native of Co Mayo was a life-long Republican from the Tan War and Civil war period up to his death in 199. He is buried in Carlow cemetery.

The Cumann intend to fully support the campaign of Republican Sinn Féin Vice President Des Dalton who is a candidate for Athy Town Council in this year’s local elections.
"Is sochraidiu lám ol-dó-sa" ol coss.

New Year statement from the leadership of Republican Sinn Féin

THE year ahead brings challenges and opportunities for Irish Republicanism. The worsening economic situation, the subversion of the people’s democratic rejection of the Lisbon Treaty and the ongoing normalisation of British rule in Ireland are three of the key battlegrounds for Irish Republicans in 2009.

The 26-County local elections due to be held in June are a key opportunity to present a viable, radical and true Republican and Socialist alternative to the people. At a time when people are suffering the effects of the failed right-wing economic ideology of the 26-County establishment these elections will allow Republican Sinn
Féin to promote a vision of a New Ireland.

While a vision for the future of any kind is glaringly absent from any of the constitutional political organisations, ÉIRE NUA and SAOL NUA provide a blueprint for real political and economic democracy.

With people losing jobs, and even their homes, with 7% of the population of the 26-Counties in ‘consistent poverty’ ÉIRE NUA and SAOL NUA are a blueprint for building the kind of All-Ireland Republic which, according to James Connolly: “must be made a word to conjure with – a rallying point for the disaffected, a haven for the oppressed”. All areas, members and supporters must be prepared to put their shoulder to the wheel in promoting and supporting Republican Sinn Féin candidates next June!

Another battleground will be Lisbon Mark II. Instead of respecting and defending the democratic decision of the Irish people last June to reject the Lisbon Treaty/EU Constitution, the 26-County administration in an act of treachery have collaborated in attempting to overturn that vote by forcing the people to vote a second time. Despite the game of smoke and mirrors engaged in by the Dublin and Brussels political elites the Lisbon Treaty has not been amended or changed in any way.

Talk of opt-outs and non-binding declarations are merely a distraction from the agenda of Lisbon – the creation of an undemocratic and militarised United States of Europe. Such a referendum is likely to be held in October. Once more Republican Sinn Féin will place itself at the heart of the campaign for a second ‘No’ vote. Defend Democracy, Neutrality and Sovereignty.

Meanwhile the campaign of normalising British rule and the partition of Ireland continues. Republican Sinn Féin as the only political organisation espousing the doctrine of true revolutionary Irish Republicanism will continue to spearhead the opposition to this process. Once more we place on the public record our intention to oppose visits to any part of Ireland by the Queen of England or other members of the British Royal family while the British state continues to occupy part of Ireland.

Just as we oppose British imperialism in Ireland Irish Republicans oppose imperialism internationally. As we go to press the people of Gaza suffer the onslaught of the Israeli army. Over 500 men, women and children have been killed by the Israeli army to date as a result of their bombardment and invasion of Gaza.

In Cuba celebrations are already underway marking the 50th anniversary of the revolution. Irish Republicans extend greeting and salutations to the Cuban people and their revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.

A clear programme of work has been set out and the battle lines drawn. Republican Sinn Féin will provide the leadership to meet the challenges and opportunities which 2009 present us.

Des Dalton to contest Athy Town Council election

AT A RECENT convention Kildare Republican Sinn Féin selected the Vice President of Republican Sinn Féin Des Dalton to contest the election to Athy Town Council this year. Des contested the 2004 local elections when he narrowly failed to win a seat on Athy Town Council. He has been a member of Republican Sinn Féin for 20 years and has served as Vice President since 2003. He played a leading role in organising Republican Sinn Féin’s campaign against the Lisbon Treaty in 2008.He is also an active member of SIPTU serving as a Shop Steward.

Setting out what he intends to achieve in winning a seat on Athy Town Council Des Dalton said: “In 2004 I contested on a platform of delivering change to Athy Town Council; unfortunately the people of Athy chose not to change the council in any meaningful way, merely swapping between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Four years later the need for real and radical change has never been more evident. In a time when savage cuts in public spending and allocation of resources can be expected the people of Athy need public representatives who have no vested interest in the political establishment and are willing to fight for our town.

“Politics is about empowering people, giving them a voice within the council chamber, and within the system. I am under no illusions, I know the limitations of what a local councillor can do but I feel that strong independent voices are needed now more that ever to shake up a lazy and complacent local political establishment. Issues high on my agenda will be the provision of proper infrastructure to meet the needs of our growing population. Dealing with the traffic chaos which plagues Athy has to be a priority. Over the years we have seen Athy grow in terms of housing and population without a parallel growth in the necessary services and infrastructure. The infrastructure required to meet the needs of a bigger population will have to be central to the agenda of the new Town Council.

Local democracy in Ireland has been eroded over the past decades to a point where once we had local government we now have only local authorities. Republican Sinn Féin believes in real local democracy as set out in our proposals for a Federal Ireland EIRE NUA which proposes maximum decentralisation of power and decision making from national right down to provincial, regional and local or community level. That is the agenda myself and the other Republican Sinn Féin candidates will be fighting for."