Press Release, March 2017

While Na Fianna Éireann support all commemorations for all republicans especially those commemorating fallen members of Na Fianna Éireann we have once again been made aware of various groups using our name.

While Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, we guard the name of our organisation preciously. Should parents wish to involve their children in Na Fianna Éireann all they need do is contact us on our Facebook page or send an e-mail.

In the meantime we call on those masquerading as Na Fianna Éireann to desist immediately, likewise should people want Na Fianna Éireann to attend their commemorations they should contact us.

Sinne, Na Fianna Éireann

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Email: nafiannaeireann@gmail.com

Na Fianna Éireann, 223 Sráid Pharnell, BÁC 1, Éire.

Na Fianna Éireann, Set to Commemorate Hunger Strikers in National Commemoration

We share below a statement from our comrades in Republican Sinn Féin.

Every year we in Na Fianna Éireann participate in this national commemoration filling our role as part of the wider Republican Movement.  We realize that all those who died on Hunger Strike were young men, who without fear or hesitation gave up their life’s for Ireland’s cause for freedom.  We in Na Fianna are proud to follow in their footsteps in striving for a united and free Ireland.  We draw strength from the courage they displayed.  

We call on all the youth of Ireland to read and educated yourselves objectively on what they stood for, if you agree, then join Na Fianna Éireann and play your part.  

“Everyone, Republican or otherwise, has their own particular part to play. No part is too great or too small; no one is too old or too young to do something.” – Óglach Bobby Sands TD

Annual National Hunger Strike Commemoration, August 27

Press Release / Preas Ráitheas

On August 27, 2016 the Hunger Strike Commemoration Committee will host the Annual National Hunger Strike Commemoration in remembrance of all those who died on Hunger Strike for the cause of Irish freedom.

Organisations belonging to the Republican Movement including Sinn Féin Poblachtach will be in attendance along with various Republican Flute Bands.

This year the primary speakers are Mary Ward from Donegal.  John Joe McCusker, Fermanagh and Sinn Féin Poblachtach Ard Chomhairle and Maura Harrington from Mayo.

This is the 35th anniversary of the 1981 Hunger Strikes when 10 young men died so selflessly so that the Irish cause would not be criminalized by Thatchers political lapdogs.  We urge everyone to make a special effort to attend.

Cars and buses are travelling from primary locations in all provinces.  Contact your local RSF Cumann, Email; saoirse@iol.ie or contact RSF Donegal on facebook for more information.

Let us Rally to Remember the Supreme Sacrifice of all Our Hunger Strike Martyrs.

Críoch / ENDS

 

C-IRA Take To The Streets of Co. Armagh

Continuity IRA Volunteers on patrol in Lurgan

Today, the 23rd of April, pictures appeared online of Volunteers of the Continuity IRA on patrol on the streets of Lurgan, Co Armagh, Occupied Six-Counties armed with assault riffles.

The Continuity Army Council of the IRA was established in 1986 by the pre-1986 leadership of the Provisional Army Council, whose Volunteers failed to uphold the 1938 Proclamation and the IRA constitution by voting in favor of a proposal to support the dropping of Provisional SF’s abstentionsist policy in 1986. Although the leadership went on to form the Continuity Army Council after rejecting the proposal, the majority of the Volunteers of the Provisional IRA stayed with the Provisionals, unable to see the agenda of the new Provisional leadership at the time.

Lurgan, Co Armagh is a stanchly Republican area, an area where there would be a lot of support for the Continuity IRA and other militant organizations. Due to their support for these organizations and their rejection of Crown Occupation, the Lurgan community is forced to undergo continued harassment at the hands of the PSNI/RUC and the British Army, who daily target the area hovering over the houses in their police helicopters or military spotter planes.

Continuity IRA Volunteer in Lurgan last Easter

PH Pearse, in his famous speech at the graveside of the militant Fenian O’ Donovan Rossa in 1915 said ”They think they have purchased half of us, and intimidated the other half. They think they have foreseen everything, think they have provided against every thing. But the fools; The fools, the fools, they have left us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds these graves Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.”

Those words remain very relevant in Ireland today. The British government have done well at purchasing half of the Movement. They have failed at intimidated us, the other half who remained loyal to the cause. They have left us our Fenian dead, who next year will be remembered on the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. And they have failed to leave our country, meaning it will not be at peace until they finally do so.

The problem in the North is not violence. The problem is a British presence there. Those who continue to resist that problem have every right to do so. The same right the men, women and youth of 1916 had, even tho they did not have the support of the people of Ireland at the time.

 

Statement On Behalf Of The Leadership Of Na Fianna

Statement read by a member of Na Fianna on behalf of the leadership, in Dublin on Easter Monday.

””Na Fianna Éireann sends greetings to all those Republicans gathered at the graves and monuments of our patriot dead this Easter weekend. In particular we extend solidarity greetings to all those Republican prisoners held in British and Free State prisons and pledge them our continued support in their struggles against criminalisation.

Na Fianna was founded in 1909 to re-establish the “independence of Ireland by means of training the youth of Ireland to fight Ireland’s fight when they are older and the day comes.” In Easter Week 1916 Na Fianna fought valiantly in St. Stephen’s Green, The Mendicity Institute, the GPO and other places. Five Fianna boys were to be killed including Seán “The Boy” Healy who was an unarmed dispatch runner who was shot by a British sniper. Seán Heuston and Con Colbert were later executed for their part in the Rising along with the other leaders.

The intervening 99 years has seen Na Fianna Éireann remaining loyal to the All Ireland Republic and scorning all attempts to suborn the organisation by Anti Republican elements. This has led to Na Fianna today being in a stronger position than it has been for many years. We must aim to increase our strength if we are to be in a position to successfully fulfil our destinies and ensure the Irish Republic, to which we are pledged, is finally enthroned when the day comes. To this end we call on all former members of Na Fianna Éireann and all other Republicans of goodwill to assist us in organising throughout the country once more. Let next year, the one hundredth anniversary of the Rising, see a resurgent Fianna Éireann playing a leading role in Republican commemorations across the country. We of Na Fianna are the future leaders of Republican Ireland, with your assistance we can ensure that this generation will play an essential part in the freeing of our nation from British Imperialism and the re-establishment of The Irish Republic of Easter Week 1916.”

An Phoblacht Abú

Na Fianna Éireann Abú

Oration Delivered At The Sean Healy Commemoration In Dublin

Oration delivered by a member of Na Fianna at the Sean Healy Commemoration on Easter Monday.

”Friends and comrades, we are gathered here today in memory of one of our members who fell in this very spot during the 1916 rebellion after being shot down by a British sniper.

Sean Healy, the young soldier who here today we commemorate, was a courageous and brave young fellow who at the age of just 15 years, made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of Ireland.

Sean was born into a Republican family in 1901 here
in Phibsboro. His father was a member of the Irish Volunteers and worked tirelessly, like Sean, for the Republican struggle. The night before the rising kicked off and the Proclamation was read at the GPO, Sean aided his father in the moving of arms and ammunition from their house to others places around the City.

Sean joined Na Fianna Éireann at a very young age and was a very serious young boy. Even tho he was just 15 years old when he went out to fight in 1916, he was a well capable soldier and a fine young marksman. He was drilled and showed the use of arms by no one other than Fian Sean Heuston who was later executed for his role in the 1916 rising along with another member of Na Fianna Éireann, Fian Con Colbert.

The day the rising kicked, the leadership of the Volunteers ordered young members of Na Fianna Éireann to stay at home during the battle, and only called on Commanding Officers and senior members to take part. But Sean, like the bold young boy he was disobeyed orders(even tho he shouldn’t have) and went out to fight. Sean ended up in Jacobs Factory but was sent home by Thomas McDonagh with a dispatch of correspondence which was to be delivered to a Volunteer officer in Phibsboro as Sean made his way home. Sean marched alone in full Fianna uniform from Jacobs factory which was over to the Southside, right across the Liffey and up what we now call today constitution hill. Upon his arrival at the Cross roads in which we gather here today, Sean was sniped by a British soldier and died instantly. As he lay there bleeding and dying his last words were ”God Bless the Volunteers”.

Although Sean did not engage in any of the fighting, he showed how determined he was to fight and showed how brave he was by marching on his own from his home into the South Inner City and then back towards his home.

We all should be inspired by this young soldier. A young boy who was determined, fearless and who had a love of his country and his fellow brothers in Na Fianna Éireann.

Sean died for the same thing young Emmett died for, and that was to rid our land of the British government and their forces.

Today we still have British Rule in the North and we still have British soldiers raiding and ransacking the homes of Irish Republicans. It is clear that the ideals Sean stood for have yet became a reality. We in Na Fianna Éireann aim to put those ideals into play once and for all. We will take the stand that Sean and Na Fianna Éireann took in 1916 again if need be.

We understand that in order for our organization to be successful in our aims we must be active on the ground, interacting with the youth of Ireland. Above all else, we understand that in order for Na Fianna Éireann to be a success, that their must be mutual trust, comradery and brotherhood within the movement. We do and must continue to treat each other as if we were all brothers. 90% of the time brothers will never betray their brothers and if need be lay down their lives for each other. There should be no personal differences within our organisation and we want no boy to enter our ranks who has no genuine concern for the freedom of Ireland, his language or history and who is not willing to treat their fellow comrades in the Fianna like brothers.

The aim of Na Fianna Éireann today remains the same as it was on our founding. To re-establish the independence of Ireland by means of training our youth to fight Ireland’s fight when they are older and the day comes. We may not be a huge organization at the present, but we are re-building slowly but surely, we are serious and we are determined. We never have deviated from our principles and we never will. Na Fianna Éireann always has rejected Leinster House and Stormont and we will continue to do so. We will continue to fight until the British have left our country, until the lackey Free State collapses and until a new and free Ireland is build upon both the ruins of Stormont and Leinster House.

Today we live in a land in which the majority of its people cannot speak their language but only the language of its invader and oppressor. We are one of the only countries in the world that cannot speak our own language. That is why we believe our selves to be of major importance. We of Na Fianna Éireann want to sow the seed of love of language and history in the youth of our country and also the seed in which ripped in the revolutionary minds of the youth of 1916, the seed of revolutionary patriotism.

We call on you all gathered here today to get your family members involved in Na Fianna Éireann. Let them learn their language and history, let them fight for a united and free Ireland. The youth is the future and this country and its old, Gaelic and patriotic ways are futureless unless we get the youth on board Na Fianna Éireann .

To finish things off i would like to thank you all for gathering here today. We hope to see you all again next year at the same location to mark the centenary of Sean’s execution.”

Slán a cairde

An Poblacht Abú

Oration Delivered In Wexford By Member Of Na Fianna

Oration delivered by a member of Na Fianna in Wexford on Easter Sunday.

”Friends and comrades, I am honoured to be able to speak here today in the rebel county of Wexford, at this, the 99th anniversary commemoration marking the rebellion of Easter Week, 1916.

Wexford is a county steeped in the physical-force tradition of separatism Irish Republicanism. Dating back as far as 1798 when we had the United Irishmen, the men and women who gave birth to that tradition, to the Fenians who took the torch from those men and women and passed it on to the men, women and youth of 1916 who here today we commemorate. Wexford played a key role in the rebellions fought by these successive generations. Without these Wexford men and women and the steadfast support of their communities, it is likely so that we would not be here today and the whole of Ireland would still remain occupied by British Forces.

Those who fought in 1916 fought for what Tone fought for, they fought for the same thing Emmet and his small but gallant band of warriors fought for, they fought for the same thing that the Fenians fought for and they fought for the same thing we continue to fight for today, and that is to break the connection with England. They did not beg the British, they did not enter her institutions to try and break the connection from within, as many so called Republicans claim they are trying to do today. They demanded for that connection to be broke and fought for it in arms. As stated in the Proclamation of 1916, to fight in arms to break this connection was and is a fundamental right of the people of Ireland. They recognized, as many Republicans today recognize, that their is no other way to break the connection with England other than the same way the British took over the land, and that was by physical force.

It is madness and very disrespectful to believe that the Ireland of today sprung from the rebellion of Easter Week. The Free State government, after many years of banning our commemorations and sending our elder comrades of today to jail for going ahead with the commemorations, are now trying to hi-jack the legacy of the 1916 rebellion and make it out to the people of Ireland and the world at large that their government sprung from the rebellion of 1916 and that Ireland is now free. The Free State government was established on the blood of Irishmen and women, including young comrades of our own movement, Na Fianna Eireann, those who stood loyal the Republic proclaimed in Easter Week and which was established in 1919. The Free State government went against everything the men, women and youth fought for in 1916. While those in 1916 set out to break to connection with England without compromise, the Free State government, after its leaders compromised with the British and established the Free State, set out to sub-due and suppress the real All-Ireland Republic that sprung from the 1916 rebellion. The Free state army and government was not designed and established by Irishmen and women, but designed and established by the British to suit the British. In 1922, when our own dear comrades stood loyal to the Republic, the Free State Army, under British orders and using British weapons, went to war on that Republic, murdering many Irishmen, women and youth who upheld it. As a matter of fact, the Free State Army actually murdered more Irishmen, women and youth during the nasty civil war than the Black-and-Tan butchers did during the Tan-War. It is sad but very true. The British never defeated our soldiers of the Republic, our soldiers were only defeated by their own comrades they once believed to be steadfast and true. Always has it been the same. It happened in 1921/22, 1927, in 1969 and in 1986. Their is a great quote that states if you have no enemy within the enemy outside will not be able to harm you. Our enemy outside could never harm us, the only enemy that ever harmed us was the secret enemy within. We must be very careful who we let into our ranks and learn from the past.

Today Ireland remains partitioned and unfree. Our six-north eastern counties remain under the Crown and occupied by her forces while the Free State is under the EU. Today, here at this sacred spot, we send make clear to the Free State government, and most importantly we send a message to our old Saxon foe up in Ulster, that as long as Ireland is unfree those who keep her in bondage and those who soldier and police for these oppressors will be held accountable. Their will always be an armed revolutionary movement in Ireland as long as the British remain here. And as long as they remain here they will meet rebellion and resistance by that movement. I myself have no knowledge of those who do rebel and resist but from my studies of Irish history, I am certain that acts of war will continue and intensify as long as the British are here. Those who do rise up and resist have every right to do so and they have the full support of NFE and Republican SF.

I also want to make clear here today, to those who claim the banner of the Republican Movement, that there is but one Republican Movement, although not a mass movement, the Republican Movement remains intact and continues the struggle for a Free Ireland. For over 93 years the Republican Movement has rejected both Leinster House and Stormont and worked to re-establish the 3rd All-Ireland Dail Eireann Parliament, the Parliament in which delegated their powers of government in 1938 to the Army of the Irish Republic, in trust that they would work to get rid of the British and re-establish that parliament, while rejecting both Leinster House and Stormont. In 1969 we had elements within our movement who believed a Republic could be created out of the puppet parliament of Leinster House, there was a split. The same thing happened once again in 1986 when more devious elements tried to convert the movement. They first went to Leinster House, then they went to Stormont, Britain’s parliament in Ireland, and now at present they are running for elections in West Minster. Those who are doing this , and those that sided with them in both 1969 and 1986 have no right to claim the banner of Irish Republicanism. The key objective of Irish Republicanism is to break the connection with England, you cannot be a Republican and also work within her systems in Ireland. You cannot be both, you are either a Republican or not. Liam Mellows, a gallant soldier of the Republic, leader of NFE and native of this county said after the Free State was established that ”It is fallacy the believe that a Republic of any kind can be won through the shackled Free State. You cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear. The Free State is British created and serves British imperialist interests. It is the buffer erected between British capitalism and the Irish Republic. A workers Republic can be erected only on its ruins.”

Let that quote be our daily mantra. We who carry on the principles and ideals of mellows and the men and women of 1916.

I also want to state before I finish that the British Army have never left Ireland. Only two weeks ago they raided a Republicans home in Derry along with their buddies in the RUC. This regularly happens within the Occupied Counties yet the Free State and Provisionals try to make people believe that the Brits have left Ireland. British soldiers are on this land over 800 years. Those who fought in 1916 fought to get rid of them for good, and from every part of Ireland as Pearse himself said ”We the Volunteers are formed here, not for half of Ireland, not to give the British garrison control of any part of Ireland. No, we are formed here for the whole of Ireland.”
Get your troops and government out of our land once and for all Britain.

I would like to thank my comrades here in Wexford who invited my to speak here today, it is a great priviledge to have done so and I am very proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with them and be part of the work that goes on for this glorious cause that remains unfinished business. I wish you all the best for the year and following years to come comrades.”

An phoblacht, SF agus NF Abu.

Busy Easter For Na Fianna

Na Fianna have been busy this Easter remembering Ireland’s patriot dead who both fought and died in 1916 and who fought for the Republic after the rebellion of Easter Week.

On Saturday, 4th of April, members of Na Fianna led parades in both Carlow and Kildare. Gathering at the gates of the cemetery in Carlow, led by the Tri-Colour and the Flag of Na Fianna(sunburst), those in attendance marched to the Republican Plot where the commemoration took place. Wreaths were laid on behalf of the Republican Movement followed by a minutes silence and a dipping of the flags, the Proclamation was then read by a member of Na Fianna and then a statement was delivered by Veteran Republican Matt Conway on behalf of the leadership of the Republican Movement.

Members of Na Fianna also led a parade in Kildare on the same day to the Republican plot, where wreaths were laid, the Proclamation was read by a member of Na Fianna and a statement on behalf of the Republican Movement was delivered by Veteran of the Republican Movement and Cumann na mBan Josephine Hayden.

On Easter Sunday, Na Fianna also took part in commemorations in Wexford and in Dublin. In Wexford, a colour-party of the Republican Movement gathered in the town along with members of Na Fianna from Wexford and from Dublin, and marched through and around the town and back to the point of assemble before getting a bus to the Republican Plot for the commemoration. There was a fine turnout in Wexford on the day. A member of Na Fianna got the honour of delivering the main oration in full uniform.

On the same day, members of Na Fianna also took part in commemorations in Eamon Ceannt Park in Dublin and in Deansgrange, Dublin, at the Republican Plot. A member of Na Fianna read the Proclamation in Deansgrange.

On Easter Monday, members of Na Fianna held their annual commemoration for Fian Sean ”The Boy” Healy who was shot down by a British sniper during the Rebellion of Easter Week, 1916. The proceedings were chaired by a senior member of the Republican Movement, the wreath was laid by a Junior Fian, the Proclamation was read by another senior member of the Republican Movement and the oration was delivered by a senior Fian and officer.

When their commemoration ended, they route marched back into the City Centre and got ready to take part in republican SF’s Easter Commemoration.

They gathered at the Garden of Remembrance at 1.45, fell in behind a colour-party of the Republican Movement and members of Cumann na mBan, and then marched into the City Centre. They were forced to take a different route than they usually take due to Free Staters blocking of the GPO and parts of the road, so the Republican Movement marched down Parnell St, up Moore St and onto Henry St and stopped at the side of the GPO where the commemoration took place.

The commemoration was well attended and the Movement made clear the ideals and principles of the leaders of 1916 and those who fought, and also made clear that the British Occupation, in which those in 1916 fought to get rid of, remains in Ireland to this very day(North-Eastern Counties of Ireland).

A statement on behalf of the leadership of Na Fianna was delivered by a senior member and officer of Na Fianna.

When the commemoration ended, they marched back up onto the historical Moore St where the leaders and Volunteers took their last stand, and held another short commemoration, particularly for the O’Rahilly who was shot down on that very street during the Rebellion.

A full report of the commemorations held by the Republican Movement will be published in ‘SAOISRE -The Voice of the Republican Movement’ during this week.

Na Fianna Oppose Royal And British Army Visit To Glasnevin

Na Fianna stood in solidarity with fellow Republican’s on the 31st of July, 2014 in opposition to the Royal and British Army visit to Glasnevin to unveil a Cross dedicated to those who died in the First World War.

As long as the Royal Crown continues to occupy six of our counties and has influence over the 26-county administration, there will always be people to resist them and let them know they are not welcomed while Ireland remains un-free.

Na Fianna Eireann Mark Centenary Of Howth Gun-Running And Bachelors Walk Massacres

Fianna marchin at Howth

On the 26th of July, 2014, the Dublin slua of Na Fianna Eireann gathered at both Howth Pier and Bachelors Walk to mark the centenary of the gun-running which took place at Howth and the massacres which happened some hours after when British soldiers fired on innocent civilians at Bachelors Walk. We first gathered at the beginning of East Pier, Howth and marched to where the guns were landed at the end of the Pier. The Howth event was chaired by Sean Dolan, a comrade of ours and Republican SF, a wreath was laid by Micheal Og O Fiach on behalf of Na Fianna Eireann and the Republican Movement. After a minutes silence the chair called on Fian Jamie Mullen to deliver the oration. Near the end of his oration he said ”The aim of Na Fianna remains the same as the aim of the organisation on our founding in 1909; the complete re-establishment of Ireland’s independence. We accept no other government after the 1921/22 period as the legitimate government of Ireland. Leinster House which was set up by the British government to govern 26 of our counties is a

Fianna with family members of the Bachelors Walk massacres after commemoration

dependent state. It was formed by a foreign occupier to suit the foreign occupier. It was not formed independently by the people of Ireland acting as a unit without British interference. Therefore the aim of our organisation since it’s foundation has yet to be achieved but proudly will be. We continue the fight and we will accept nothing less than an ‘Ireland free from the centre to the sea’.

”The Sean Healy Slua of Na Fianna Éireann sends solidarity greetings to the people of Palastine and in particular to those in the world’s largest open prison – Gaza. We condemn the assault on Gaza by Israel and salute the courage of the Palastinian people who continue to resist Israeli aggression”

After Jamie’s oration Sean had a few words to say himself about the gun-running before thanking everyone who attended for doing so. The slua then marched back to the beginning of Howth Pier where they fell out.

The slua then re-assembled at the Ha’penny Bridge and marched to a corner on Bachelors Walk where they laid a wreath and delivered another oration. Both events were well attended, with family members of those who took part in the gun-running and who were murdered on Bachelors Walk also in attendance.

We would like to thank all who showed up to mark such historic events.

New Wesite – Na Fianna Eireann

This is the new and official website for Na Fianna Eireann, Ireland’s Republican Boy Scouts.

This page will keep you up to date on the latest news from Na Fianna, the Republican Movement and it’s prisoners of war and the on-going occupation of our Six North-Eastern Counties.