Monday, March 28, 2005
Monday Madness-Easter Silence
Today is Easter Monday and the streets of Dublin's city centre will be quiet.My question is - why?On Easter Monday, 1916, the most important moment in this island's history occurred when the Easter Rising took place and the struggle to remove the British from Ireland began in earnest.It was on Easter Monday that the great patriot Padraig Pearse read the Proclamation of the Republic from the steps of the GPO.It was on this day that the tricolour was raised (although it was not seen at the time as the national flag by the rebels).All these significant moments took place and yet we here in Ireland do not celebrate them properly.Why the hell not?
The French celebrate Bastille Day, the Americans celebrate July 4th, yet it seems we here in Ireland are not allowed to celebrate a political event.We have to make do with celebrating a patron saint.Why can't we do both?Why can't Easter Monday be a day where Irish people fill the streets of Dublin's city centre to watch a parade honouring what took place in 1916?
As I understand it, this used to be the case before but the parade was scrapped.I know there was much celebration for the 50th anniversary of 1916 in 1966.I say it's time to revive the parade honouring the Easter Rising.
Will it be revived? Of course not.In Ireland, we're not allowed be proud of what happened in 1916 and during the War of Independence because of later events and because the Provos have disgraced the name of the Irish Republican Army.Instead, we must make do with vile characters like Fintan O'Toole, John A.Murphy and Kevin Myers denigrating what those men and women fought for.
It's trendy to bash where we've come from now that there's plenty of euros lining the pockets of the middle class.
I for one am proud of what took place in 1916.It woke the Irish nation from its slumber.I want the opportunity to celebrate that event with my compatriots by waving my country's flag which those rebels hoisted aloft over Dublin during the rebellion.I want to pay tribute to their sacrifice and I want their courageous efforts to be acknowledged by this generation and future generations.
Let's see it happen.
The French celebrate Bastille Day, the Americans celebrate July 4th, yet it seems we here in Ireland are not allowed to celebrate a political event.We have to make do with celebrating a patron saint.Why can't we do both?Why can't Easter Monday be a day where Irish people fill the streets of Dublin's city centre to watch a parade honouring what took place in 1916?
As I understand it, this used to be the case before but the parade was scrapped.I know there was much celebration for the 50th anniversary of 1916 in 1966.I say it's time to revive the parade honouring the Easter Rising.
Will it be revived? Of course not.In Ireland, we're not allowed be proud of what happened in 1916 and during the War of Independence because of later events and because the Provos have disgraced the name of the Irish Republican Army.Instead, we must make do with vile characters like Fintan O'Toole, John A.Murphy and Kevin Myers denigrating what those men and women fought for.
It's trendy to bash where we've come from now that there's plenty of euros lining the pockets of the middle class.
I for one am proud of what took place in 1916.It woke the Irish nation from its slumber.I want the opportunity to celebrate that event with my compatriots by waving my country's flag which those rebels hoisted aloft over Dublin during the rebellion.I want to pay tribute to their sacrifice and I want their courageous efforts to be acknowledged by this generation and future generations.
Let's see it happen.
# posted by United Irelander @ 2:06 PM 
© 2008 United Irelander.
