Sean Moynihan receives Golden Bridges Diaspora Award
Congratulations to the current President of the Irish Network Boston, Sean Moynihan who received the 2014 Golden Bridges Diaspora Award at the annual Golden Bridges Conference which took place at The Seaport Hotel on October 8-9.
Now in it's sixth year, the Golden Bridges Conference brings together leaders from both Boston and the Northwest of Ireland to discuss the common links between the two regions specifically in the areas of community, business, education, arts and culture.
Boston welcomes Irish Freedom Forum
By Cathleen O'Brien
Founded in New York in 1916, Friends Of Irish Freedom, was set up to aid Dependents of Republican Prisoners following the Easter Rising.
Massachusetts has had a long history of support for Irish Freedom and the Friends of Irish Freedom (FOIF) has included many Boston based members. The New England chapter was led by the late John Hurley and the late Al Madden. Margaret Devine Tompkins, sister of 1981 Hunger Striker Mickey Devine, lived in Boston and was a member of the American based organization. She was married to Friends of Irish Freedom Trustee Bill Tomkins, of Williams Maritime Repairs in Boston.
This past weekend Friends Of Irish Freedom held an open Discussion Forum at the Neponset Post in Dorchester. Guest speakers from Ireland spoke about continued British occupation of the six counties. Veteran Volunteer Phil O’Donoghue (fought with Sean South & Fergal O’Hanlon) and Patrick Donohoe (National Organizer of The 1916 Societies) addressed the audience.
Vet. Phil O’Donoghue stated that “British Parliamentary activity in Ireland is a violation of Irish National Sovereignty. For Irish Republicans the question is not one of being 'pro' or 'anti' armed struggle but rather to possess a political analysis which cuts through the distractions which mask why there is conflict in Ireland in the first place.”
He stated “We cannot allow our sovereignty to be subject to the whims of a populist vote. Irish Sovereignty is the fundamental basis upon which the Irish people vote to choose our own form of government. National self-determination is the ultimate expression of Irish Sovereignty.”
Mr. O’Donoghue said “To illustrate this point to Irish America we would make the following observation; why should the Irish people take our Declaration of Independence any less serious than the American people rightly take theirs?”
Additional Republican speakers attended events in Philadelphia and New York; Solicitor and Tyrone native Plunkett Nugent and Derek Warfield of the Wolfe Tones. Each speaker addressed the central topic that Britain is still in Ireland and there is no signs of withdrawal at all.
Friends Of Irish Freedom was privileged to participate in the Annual Dorchester Irish Festival on Sunday 12th October where the organization was widely received with great warmth and members were welcomed by all those they met throughout the day. It was great to meet many people who supported Friends Of Irish Freedom in past years. We hope to revive support in Boston.
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