This article first appeared in Unity, the weekly publication of the Irish Communist Party.
A tribute to
James Connolly
(5 June 1868-
12 May 1916)
and
Micheál O’Riordan
(12 November 1917-May 18, 2006
JAMES Connolly, born in Edinburgh of Irish parents, experienced and wrote about the struggles of workers against capitalism and imperialism. Taking part in those struggles in Ireland, Britain and America he worked for the unity of the working class. He was a socialist, a Marxist an internationalist and a patriot-committed to the real independence of Ireland.
In the early hours of May 12th 1916, James Connolly, was taken by stretcher from the hospital in Dublin Castle to the stonebreakers yard in Kilmainham Jail, strapped to a wooden chair, and executed by a British Army firing squad. His we pay tribute to his life and ideas that live on.
Micheál O’Riordan:
Re-printed here is the beginning and conclusion of a 6,000-word speech that he gave to the First International Forum on the International Brigades, Getafe, Spain 12-14 November 1999
Comrades and friends,
It is indeed a great honour to be asked to speak at this First International Forum on the International Brigades.
I am especially happy to be here at this particular time. I was born on 12 November 1917, in the first week of the Russian Revolution; and this is the fourth occasion on which I have celebrated my birthday in Spain.
I marked my twenty-first birthday in Barcelona in 1938 while serving in the 15th International Brigade.
The dark era of Franco fascism prevented an early return; but the Spanish people emerged as the final victors, and their Homage to the International Brigades in 1996 saw me celebrate my seventy-ninth birthday in Barcelona once again.
It was on 12 May 1996 that a monument was erected outside Liberty Hall to the Irish socialist leader James Connolly on the eightieth anniversary of his execution by British imperialism.
The monument was unveiled by the then President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, who is now the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
We, the Connolly Column veterans of the International Brigades, were present with our banner displaying the red, yellow and purple colours of the Spanish Republic.
And during the course of her speech President Robinson paid tribute to us as a group who, to use her own words, “fought – inspired by Connolly – in the Spanish Anti-Fascist War.”
When the President subsequently greeted us one by one, she also said: “You did yourselves proud.” I have just one qualification to make to that. It was the Spanish people themselves who did us proud, and it was an honour to fight alongside them.
Micheál O’Riordan, husband and comrade of the late Kay, father of Manus and Brenda, grandfather of Neil, Jess Dara, Catriona and Luke. Father in-law of Tony and the late Annette. The former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Ireland, he remained a member of the National Executive. He fought with the XV International Brigade in the Spanish Anti-Fascist War.
He was an honorary citizen of Spain, friend of Cuba and internationalist. He stood for a united socialist, independent Ireland. For unity of Ireland and its working class: (LW)“For our demands most modest are, we only want the Earth”.