Republican Tom admires Lizzy’s two fingered salute to Europe
Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley
Republican Sinn Féin Galway County Councillor Tomas Ó Curraoin could hardly ever be accused of being at one with Great Britain.
But when it came to the Brexit referendum, the 32-county Republic man thinks the Brits got it right.
The Barna-based elected representative, who’s not shy when it comes to speaking his mind, told a recent Council meeting that Connemara depends on the N59 for tourism.
During a debate about the upgrade of the road, which is being stalled by red-tape, the bould Tom said the road is in a dangerous state and was a health and safety risk.
Then he started talking like a True Blue Tory about an Irish Brexit.
“If I had my way, we would leave Europe. We never died of hunger before 1972 but at the moment we have no say in the running of our own State. We have to stand up against them,” thundered Tom, who obviously has more in common with the imperialists across the water than he’d like us to think.
Tom was one of the few local politicians who travelled to Dublin and protested the visit of Queen Elizabeth to Ireland five years ago.
But, we suspect if Lovely Lizzy followed in the footsteps of Prince Charles and arrived at NUI Galway next week, he’d be one of the first to congratulate her and her subjects for ‘standing up’ to Europe.
An Bhreatain abú, Tom!
Cathal’s 100-years-old family closet
On the subject of republicanism and monarchy, the 1916 celebrations of the Rising and the Great War have shown how history is never black and white.
The celebrations have thrown-up complex, often uncomfortable, stories about our past.
Sinn Féin Galway City Councillor, Cathal Ó Conchúir’s family links to 100 years ago is a microcosm of the broader dichotomies of republicanism and nationhood and war in society a century ago.
All of his father’s family fought in the War of Independence and were on the Republican side in the Civil War that followed the Easter Rising.
And yet on his mother’s side, his great-grandfather died fighting for ‘king and country’ with the Royal Lancashire Fusiliers in July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme. He is buried at Flanders, and yes – Republican Cathal has visited.
The Civil War split families; so too did the contrasting sides who were pro-1916 Rebels, and those who fought with the British in World War I.
For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.